Entecavir versus lamivudine for patients with HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B.

Background: Entecavir is a potent and selective antiviral agent that has demonstrated efficacy in phase 2 studies in patients with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative chronic hepatitis B.

Methods: In this phase 3, double-blind trial, we randomly assigned 648 patients with HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B who had not previously been treated with a nucleoside analogue to receive 0.5 mg of entecavir or 100 mg of lamivudine once daily for a minimum of 52 weeks.

A comparison of entecavir and lamivudine for HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B.

Background: Entecavir is a potent and selective guanosine analogue with significant activity against hepatitis B virus (HBV).

Methods: In this phase 3, double-blind trial, we randomly assigned 715 patients with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive chronic hepatitis B who had not previously received a nucleoside analogue to receive either 0.5 mg of entecavir or 100 mg of lamivudine once daily for a minimum of 52 weeks.

Entecavir is superior to lamivudine in reducing hepatitis B virus DNA in patients with chronic hepatitis B infection.

Background & Aims: Entecavir is a novel and selective nucleoside analogue with potent activity against hepatitis B virus (HBV).

Methods: In a 24-week, double-blind, randomized, multicenter, phase II clinical trial, the safety and efficacy of entecavir (0.01 mg/day, 0.

Viral dynamics during and after entecavir therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Background/aims: Nucleoside analogues inhibit hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication. Entecavir, a new guanine nucleoside, has also been shown to reduce covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) to undetectable levels in woodchucks chronically infected with hepatitis virus. Mathematical description of changes in viral load during and after therapy may help to understand the several events that take place during nucleoside analogue treatment.