Tenofovir Alafenamide Switch Therapy in Chronic Hepatitis B

Patient Satisfaction Clinical Trial

Official title:

A Prospective Cohort Study of Tenofovir Alafenamide Switch Therapy in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients Who Are Unsatisfied to Entecavir Therapy

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT05583006
• Other study ID #: CE22348B
• Status: Recruiting
• Start date: November 6, 2023
• Est. completion date: December 30, 2027

Study information

• Verified date: November 2023
• Source: Taichung Veterans General Hospital
• Contact: Teng-Yu Lee, MD, PhD
• Phone: +886423592525
• Email: tylee[@]vghtc.gov.tw
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Observational

Clinical Trial Summary

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients may be unsatisfied to entecavir (ETV) therapy due to the inconvenience in drug taking, i.e., fasting for more than 2 hours and/or dose adjustment according to estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). However, tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) has been approved to be highly effective and safe in patients with CHB, and is convenient in drug taking, i.e., once daily regardless food taking and renal function.Therefore,TAF can be a good option in CHB patients who are unsatisfied to ETV therapy. The aim of this prospective cohort study is to assess the improvement on satisfaction (including drug adherence) of TAF switch therapy in CHB patients who are unsatisfied to ETV therapy. In addition, with expected adherence improvement in TAF switch therapy, the efficacy of TAF switch therapy may be improved, and the efficacy benefits can be evaluated by the changes of some novel biomarkers, such as HBV core-related antigen (HBcrAg). The investigators therefore aim to conduct a prospective cohort study of TAF switch therapy for CHB patients who are unsatisfied to ETV therapy.

Description:

Although nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA) therapy can effectively suppress HBV replication, the ideal therapeutic endpoints, including hepatitis B surface antigen(HBsAg) seroclearance, is difficult to achieve.(1) Therefore, chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients often require long-term HBV suppression to achieve the therapeutic goals, with the adherence to long-term NA therapy being an important clinical issue.(2, 3) ETV is one of the standard treatments for CHB,(4, 5) but its absorption can be significantly reduced by food.(6) ETV users must take the pills two hours before or after meals, and the blood level of ETV may thus be affected if this recommendation is not fully followed.In addition, the metabolism of ETV is involved by renal excretion, therefore the dosage of ETV should be adjusted according to renal function.(7) For example, among patients in chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 4, i.e.,eGRF15-29 ml/min/1.73m, the frequency of ETV taking should be reduced from once daily to every 72-96 hours, which may be forgettable and inconvenient to ETV users.However, the adherence of NA therapy is an essential part for long-term HBV suppression, and the efficacy of ETV therapy may be affected by the reduced adherence during long-term therapy.

Except ETV, TAF is also a HBV antiviral recommended by the current practice guidelines in the treatment of CHB, with a high potency in antiviral efficacy and low rate in virological resistance.(4, 5) In addition, TAF can be a 2nd-line rescue antiviral recommendation for HBV with resistance to ETV therapy.(4, 5) Moreover, because TAF is formulated to deliver the active metabolite to target cells more efficiently than tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) at a much lower dose, thereby reducing systemic exposure to tenofovir. In the randomized controlled trials,(8, 9) patients in the TAF arm had improved renal function and bone marrow density (BMD),as compared to patients in the TDF arm. Furthermore, in some retrospective studies, switching from ETV to TAF may present a superior efficacy in HBV DNA suppression and HBsAg level reduction,(10-13) and renal safety was comparable between the TAF switch group and the ETV continuation group.(10, 11) Interestingly, switching from ETV to TAF is associated with improvement of the medication adherence,(6) which may be particularly important to patients under long-term NA therapy.

In a small retrospective study conducted in Japan,(14) medication adherence and satisfaction were compared between before and after switch antiviral therapy in patients who switched to TAF from ETV (n = 15), and medication adherence was found to be significantly improved (P = 0.04). In a prospective study aimed to evaluate the changes of serum HBsAg levels during a 48-week period after switching ETV to TAF,(6) the degree of HBsAg reduction was higher during the TAF administration period than during the ETV administration period in patients without cirrhosis, with genotype B HBV, or with undetectable serum hepatitis B core-related antigen (HBcrAg).The HBV cccDNA-related biomarkers, such as quantitative HBsAg (qHBsAg) or HBcrAg, have been considered important outcome predictors.(15, 16) With expected adherence improvement in TAF switch therapy, the changes of above-mentioned biomarkers may be improved. The investigators therefore aim to conduct a prospective cohort study of TAF switch therapy for CHB patients who are unsatisfied to ETV therapy.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Recruiting
• Enrollment: 60
• Est. completion date: December 30, 2027
• Est. primary completion date: December 30, 2026
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: All
• Age group: 20 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

1. At least 20 years of age

2. Detectable serum HBsAg

3. Chronic HBV infection under ETV therapy

4. ETV users who are unsatisfied with the efficacy and/or feel inconvenient of ETV therapy

5. No contraindications for TAF switch therapy

6. HBV antiviral period expectancy for at least 1 year

Exclusion Criteria:

1. End stage renal disease (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGRF]< 15 mL/min/1.73m2) without dialysis

2. Co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis C virus, or hepatitis D virus

3. Any active malignancies

4. Under immunosuppressants

5. Known allergy to tenofovir-contained regimens

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Efficacy, Self
• Hepatitis B
• Hepatitis B, Chronic
• Patient Satisfaction
• Safety Issues

Intervention

Drug:
• tenofovir alafenamide (TAF)
TAF switch therapy in CHB patients who are unsatisfied to ETV therapy.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Taiwan	Taichung Veterans General Hospital	Taichung

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Taichung Veterans General Hospital	Institute of Adherence to Medication

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Taiwan, 

References & Publications (17)

Bharmal M, Payne K, Atkinson MJ, Desrosiers MP, Morisky DE, Gemmen E. Validation of an abbreviated Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication (TSQM-9) among patients on antihypertensive medications. Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2009 Apr 27;7:36. do — View Citation

Buti M, Gane E, Seto WK, Chan HL, Chuang WL, Stepanova T, Hui AJ, Lim YS, Mehta R, Janssen HL, Acharya SK, Flaherty JF, Massetto B, Cathcart AL, Kim K, Gaggar A, Subramanian GM, McHutchison JG, Pan CQ, Brunetto M, Izumi N, Marcellin P; GS-US-320-0108 Inve — View Citation

Chan HL, Fung S, Seto WK, Chuang WL, Chen CY, Kim HJ, Hui AJ, Janssen HL, Chowdhury A, Tsang TY, Mehta R, Gane E, Flaherty JF, Massetto B, Gaggar A, Kitrinos KM, Lin L, Subramanian GM, McHutchison JG, Lim YS, Acharya SK, Agarwal K; GS-US-320-0110 Investig — View Citation

European Association for the Study of the Liver. Electronic address: easloffice@easloffice.eu; European Association for the Study of the Liver. EASL 2017 Clinical Practice Guidelines on the management of hepatitis B virus infection. J Hepatol. 2017 Aug;67 — View Citation

Hagiwara S, Nishida N, Ida H, Ueshima K, Minami Y, Takita M, Komeda Y, Kudo M. Switching from entecavir to tenofovir alafenamide versus maintaining entecavir for chronic hepatitis B. J Med Virol. 2019 Oct;91(10):1804-1810. doi: 10.1002/jmv.25515. Epub 201 — View Citation

Kumada T, Toyoda H, Tada T, Yasuda S, Miyake N, Tanaka J. Comparison of the impact of tenofovir alafenamide and entecavir on declines of hepatitis B surface antigen levels. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2021 Feb 1;32(2):255-260. doi: 10.1097/MEG.0000000000 — View Citation

Lee SS, Havens JP, Sayles HR, O'Neill JL, Podany AT, Swindells S, Scarsi KK, Bares SH. A pharmacist-led medication switch protocol in an academic HIV clinic: patient knowledge and satisfaction. BMC Infect Dis. 2018 Jul 6;18(1):310. doi: 10.1186/s12879-018 — View Citation

Li ZB, Li L, Niu XX, Chen SH, Fu YM, Wang CY, Liu Y, Shao Q, Chen G, Ji D. Switching from entecavir to tenofovir alafenamide for chronic hepatitis B patients with low-level viraemia. Liver Int. 2021 Jun;41(6):1254-1264. doi: 10.1111/liv.14786. Epub 2021 J — View Citation

Lok AS, Zoulim F, Dusheiko G, Ghany MG. Hepatitis B cure: From discovery to regulatory approval. J Hepatol. 2017 Oct;67(4):847-861. doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2017.05.008. Epub 2017 Aug 1. — View Citation

Ogawa E, Nomura H, Nakamuta M, Furusyo N, Koyanagi T, Dohmen K, Ooho A, Satoh T, Kawano A, Kajiwara E, Takahashi K, Azuma K, Kato M, Shimoda S, Hayashi J; Kyushu University Liver Disease Study (KULDS) Group. Tenofovir alafenamide after switching from ente — View Citation

Sheppard-Law S, Zablotska-Manos I, Kermeen M, Holdaway S, Lee A, George J, Zekry A, Maher L. Factors associated with non-adherence to HBV antiviral therapy. Antivir Ther. 2018;23(5):425-433. doi: 10.3851/IMP3219. — View Citation

Tamaki N, Kurosaki M, Nakanishi H, Itakura J, Inada K, Kirino S, Yamashita K, Osawa L, Sekiguchi S, Hayakawa Y, Wang W, Okada M, Higuchi M, Takaura K, Maeyashiki C, Kaneko S, Yasui Y, Tsuchiya K, Takahashi Y, Izumi N. Comparison of medication adherence an — View Citation

Terrault NA, Lok ASF, McMahon BJ, Chang KM, Hwang JP, Jonas MM, Brown RS Jr, Bzowej NH, Wong JB. Update on prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of chronic hepatitis B: AASLD 2018 hepatitis B guidance. Hepatology. 2018 Apr;67(4):1560-1599. doi: 10.1002/hep — View Citation

Tseng TC, Liu CJ, Hsu CY, Hong CM, Su TH, Yang WT, Chen CL, Yang HC, Huang YT, Fang-Tzu Kuo S, Liu CH, Chen PJ, Chen DS, Kao JH. High Level of Hepatitis B Core-Related Antigen Associated With Increased Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients With Chr — View Citation

Tseng TC, Liu CJ, Yang WT, Hsu CY, Hong CM, Su TH, Tsai CH, Chen CL, Yang HC, Liu CH, Chen HH, Chen PJ, Kao JH. Serum hepatitis B core-related antigen level stratifies risk of disease progression in chronic hepatitis B patients with intermediate viral loa — View Citation

Uchida Y, Nakao M, Tsuji S, Uemura H, Kouyama JI, Naiki K, Motoya D, Sugawara K, Nakayama N, Imai Y, Tomiya T, Mochida S. Significance of switching of the nucleos(t)ide analog used to treat Japanese patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection from e — View Citation

Yan JH, Bifano M, Olsen S, Smith RA, Zhang D, Grasela DM, LaCreta F. Entecavir pharmacokinetics, safety, and tolerability after multiple ascending doses in healthy subjects. J Clin Pharmacol. 2006 Nov;46(11):1250-8. doi: 10.1177/0091270006293304. — View Citation

* Note: There are 17 references in all — Click here to view all references

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	The satisfaction (including drug adherence) to TAF switch therapy	The changes of TSQM-9 questionnaire, MMAS-8 questionnaire	Day 0, week 12, week 24, week 48
Secondary	Concentration of virologic biomarkers	The changes of HBV viral load, quantitative HBsAg, HBcrAg, etc.	Day 0, week 12, week 24, week 48, week 96, week 144
Secondary	Concentration of biochemical markers	bilirubin, AST, ALT	Day 0, week 12, week 24, week 48, week 96, week 144
Secondary	Rate/ concentration of renal function markers	The changes of eGFR, urine protein, urine beta 2-microglubulin, etc.	Day 0, week 12, week 24, week 48, week 96, week 144