Patent ID: 8232257

Claim:
A method for inhibiting expression of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) in a subject comprising: delivering to the subject a precursor RNA interference trigger molecule that directs cleavage of a HBV RNA via RNA interference (RNAi) wherein: a fully processed RNAi trigger molecule is about 19 to 29 nucleotides in length; one strand of the fully processed RNAi trigger molecule comprises a nucleotide sequence having sufficient complementarity to the HBV RNA for the RNAi trigger molecule to direct cleavage of the HBV RNA via RNA interference; wherein the fully processed RNAi trigger molecule is selected from SEQ ID NO: 9 through SEQ ID NO: 23; and inhibiting expression or levels of HBV mRNA by cleavage of HBV RNA molecules in the subject therefore inhibiting HBV infection in the subject.