MONDAY, Jan. 31 (HealthDay News) -- Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), which has been identified as superior to adefovir dipivoxil for treatment of hepatitis B virus (HBV) through 48 weeks, also appears safe and effective as a long-term monotherapy, according to research published in the January issue of Gastroenterology.
E. Jenny Heathcote, M.D., of the University of Toronto, and colleagues collected data for three years from patients participating in an open-label TDF study to evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of the nucleotide analogue as a monotherapy for chronic HBV patients positive or negative for hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative).
At 144 weeks, the researchers found that 72 and 87 percent of HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative patients, respectively, had HBV DNA less than 400 copies/mL. In those who received TDF after treatment with adefovir dipivoxil, 71 and 88 percent of HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative patients, respectively, had HBV DNA less than 400 copies/mL. TDF was found to have a favorable safety profile for up to three years.
"TDF was safe and effective in the long-term management of HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative patients with chronic hepatitis B," the authors write.
Several authors disclosed financial relationships with pharmaceutical companies, including Gilead Sciences, which provided funding for the study.
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