Clinical Trials Logo

Clinical Trial Summary

Background:

- There are two forms of chronic hepatitis B. The difference between the forms is whether or not a viral protein called hepatitis B e antigen is present in the blood. Standard approaches to treating both forms of chronic hepatitis B involve different drugs. One drug is called peginterferon, another is called tenofovir DF. These drugs are often given separately and used for different forms of the disease. However, researchers want to see if combining peginterferon and tenofovir DF will be a more effective treatment than tenofovir DF alone.

Objectives:

- To see whether combining tenofovir DF and peginterferon, or using tenofovir DF alone, is a more effective treatment of chronic hepatitis B.

Eligibility:

- Individuals at least 18 years of age who have chronic hepatitis B and are in the Hepatitis B Research Network Cohort study.

Design:

- Participants will be screened with a physical exam and medical history. Blood, urine, and liver tissue samples will be collected. Bone and liver imaging studies will also be performed.

- Participants will be divided into two groups. One group will have tenofovir DF alone for 192 weeks (about 4 years). The other group will have tenofovir DF and peginterferon for 24 weeks (about 6 months), and then tenofovir DF alone for 168 weeks (about 3.5 years).

- Participants will take the study drugs on the schedule determined by their study doctors. They will keep a diary to record their doses and any side effects.

- Participants will have three study visits 4 weeks apart after the starting the treatment. At these visits, they will have a physical exam and provide blood samples. They may also provide urine samples and have imaging studies.

- After the first three study visits, participants will continue to have study visits every 12 weeks until the treatment ends at week 192. These visits will have many of the same tests as the first three visits. At some of these visits, they may fill out questionnaires about their quality of life.

- Participants who do not respond to the study drugs may have their medications changed. They may also be asked to stop treatment.


Clinical Trial Description

This is a randomized (1:1) parallel group design trial comparing (i) tenofovir DF 300 mg daily for 192 weeks (4 years) and (ii) peginterferon alfa-2a 180 micrograms/g weekly for 24 weeks plus tenofovir DF 300 mg daily for 192 weeks (4 years). Enrolled participants will be stratified by HBeAg status (positive/negative), genotype (A vs. all others) and cirrhosis (present vs. absent). After 192 weeks of treatment, participants meeting criteria for treatment discontinuation will stop treatment and be followed for 48 weeks (total duration of treatment and follow up is 240 weeks). A liver biopsy will be obtained at the end-of treatment (week 180-192) to assess improvement in histology. Emtricitabine/tenofovir coformulated as Truvada, approved for treating HIV but not for treating HBV infection, will be offered to participants with primary nonresponse, partial virological response or confirmed virologic breakthrough. ;


Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Safety/Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Open Label, Primary Purpose: Treatment


Related Conditions & MeSH terms


NCT number NCT01821794
Study type Interventional
Source National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC)
Contact
Status Active, not recruiting
Phase Phase 3
Start date March 2013
Completion date December 2017

See also
  Status Clinical Trial Phase
Completed NCT01581554 - Withdrawal of Therapy After Long-Term Antiviral Treatment for Chronic Hepatitis B
Recruiting NCT01306071 - Observational Study of Persons With Hepatitis B Virus Infection in North America N/A