Virologic, serologic, and biochemical outcomes through 2 years of treatment with entecavir and lamivudine in nucleoside-naïve Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis B: a randomized, multicenter study

PURPOSE: Entecavir demonstrated superior virologic and biochemical benefits over lamivudine at 48 weeks in nucleoside-naïve Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). We evaluated the effect of continued entecavir and lamivudine treatment in patients who continued treatment in year 2 and the off-treatment durability of patients who achieved a protocol-defined consolidated response at week 48. METHODS: Chinese adults (n = 519) with CHB were randomized to a minimum of 52 weeks of treatment with entecavir 0.5 mg/day or lamivudine 100 mg/day. Patients with a consolidated response at week 48 (HBV DNA <0.7 MEq/ml for ≥24 weeks, ALT <1.25 times ULN, and, if HBeAg(+) at baseline, loss of HBeAg for at least 24 weeks) stopped treatment at week 52 and were followed off-treatment. Patients with a partial response at week 48 (HBV DNA <0.7 MEq/ml in the absence of other criteria for a consolidated response) could continue blinded treatment for up to 96 weeks. Patients were assessed for HBV DNA, ALT normalization, safety, and, if HBeAg(+) at baseline, for HBe seroconversion. Cumulative proportions of all treated patients who ever achieved these responses were also analyzed. RESULTS: Among patients treated during year 2 (entecavir: n = 193; lamivudine: n = 145), 74% of entecavir-treated and 41% of lamivudine-treated patients had HBV DNA <300 copies/ml by PCR at end of dosing and 96% of entecavir-treated and 82% of lamivudine-treated patients normalized ALT. Eleven percent of entecavir-treated versus 19% of lamivudine-treated patients underwent HBe seroconversion during year 2. Cumulative confirmed analysis for all treated patients through 96 weeks showed that 79% of entecavir-treated versus 46% of lamivudine-treated patients (p < 0.0001) achieved HBV DNA <300 copies/ml by PCR. Similar proportions of entecavir- and lamivudine-treated patients achieved confirmed ALT normalization and HBe seroconversion. Safety profile was comparable for both treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: Through 96 weeks of treatment, entecavir resulted in continued clinical benefit in nucleoside-naïve Chinese patients with CHB, with a safety profile comparable with lamivudine.