Authors: Schreibman, Ian R; Schiff, Eugene R

Source: Future Virology, Volume 1, Number 5, September 2006 , pp. 541-552(12)

Publisher: Future Medicine

Abstract:

Hepatitis B virus can cause both acute and chronic liver disease in humans. Entecavir, a new, potent, orally administered guanosine analog for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B, has recently approved in the USA and Europe. Monotherapy with entecavir in nucleoside-naive patients has been associated with statistically superior histological improvement, greater reduction in hepatitis B virus-DNA levels, and improved normalization of alanine aminotransferase levels when compared with lamivudine. After 2 years of treatment, viral resistance to entecavir has not developed in the antiviral-naive patient population. Similar findings in terms of efficacy have also been observed in patients with lamivudine-resistant hepatitis B virus. The use of entecavir in the lamivudine-resistant patient population could lead to the development of entecavir-resistant mutants at the rate of 9% by 2 years. Entecavir is well tolerated with a good safety profile and should be considered as primary therapy for chronic hepatitis B. Entecavir may also be considered for use in the lamivudine-resistant patient at twice the dose recommended for nucleoside-naive patients, with the recognition that virologic breakthrough could develop.

Keywords: adefovir; chronic infection; entecavir; hepatitis B; interferon; lamivudine; nucleoside analog; nucleotide analog; resistance; treatment

Document Type: Drug Evaluation

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2217/17460794.1.5.541

Publication date: 2006-09-01

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• Future Virology provides an interdisciplinary forum for all scientists working in the fields of virology and genomic research. The journal delivers essential information in concise, at-a-glance article formats. Key advances in the field are reported and analyzed by international experts, providing an authoritative but accessible forum for this ever-expanding area of research.
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