The invention provides a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, comprising an amount of a soluble active agent which interacts with at least one of the binding sites between hIL6 and pS1 and between hIL6 and hepatocytes and other HBV-permissive cells, the active agent being present in sufficient amount to competitively bind to at least one of the sites and thereby to prevent hIL6-mediated HBV infection of hepatocytes and other HBV-permissive cells.