— Christine M. Kukka, Project Manager, HBV Advocate
An article in the World Journal of Gastroenterologyreports that the antiviral entecavir works better than lamivudine to rid the liver of covalently closed circular HBV DNA (cccDNA)–the viral "seed" that stubbornly embeds in liver cells and remains ready to churn out more virus.
The cccDNA can persist in liver cells for years even after interferon or antiviral treatment clears HBV DNA from the bloodstream. To date, researchers assumed this cccDNA disappeared only after individual infected liver cells were killed by the immune system.
In this study, researchers measured cccDNA in the liver cells of HBeAg-positive patients before and after they were treated with antivirals for at least 52 weeks. They treated 159 patients with entecavir (0.5 mg daily) and 146 with lamivudine (100 mg daily).
After 48 weeks, entecavir produced significantly greater reductions in cccDNA in liver cells examined by liver biopsy than lamivudine.
Entecavir was also more effective at lowering viral load and improving liver health.
"Forty-eight weeks of entecavir resulted in greater reductions in cccDNA and total hepatic HBV DNA than lamivudine, but long-term therapy may be needed for (complete) cccDNA elimination," researchers wrote.
Labels: covalently closed circular HBV DNA (cccDNA), Entacavir
