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In recent trials, investigators have demonstrated that entecavir is effective for treating patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (either hepatitis B e-antigen–positive [HBeAg+] or HBeAg–negative) and that resistance did not develop when therapy was continued for as long as 3 years (Journal Watch Gastroenterology Jul 10 2006). In this new phase III study, researchers evaluated the efficacy of entecavir for treating patients with lamivudine-resistant (LAM-R) HBeAg+ viral infections.
In this randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, active-controlled, international trial, lamivudine-treated patients with LAM-R HBV infections were randomized either to change to daily entecavir (1 mg) or to continue daily lamivudine (100 mg) for a…