HBsAg Loss with Peg-interferon Alfa-2a in Hepatitis B Patients with Partial Response to Nucleos(t)ide Analog:New Switch Study

Background and Aims:Hepatitis B surface antigen(HBsAg)loss is seldom achieved with nucleos(t)ide analog(NA)therapy in chronic hepatitis B patients but may be enhanced by switching to finite pegylated-interferon(Peg-IFN)alfa-2a.We assessed HBsAg loss with 48-and 96-week Peg-IFN alfa-2a in chronic hepatitis B patients with partial response to a previous NA.Methods:Hepatitis B e antigen(HBeAg)-positive patients who achieved HBeAg loss and hepatitis B virus DNA<200 IU/mL with previous adefovir,lamivudine or entecavir treatment were randomized 1:1 to receive Peg-IFN alfa-2a for 48(n=153)or 96 weeks(n=150).The primary endpoint of this study was HBsAg loss at end of treatment.The ClinicalTrials.gov identifier is NCT01464281.Results:At the end of 48 and 96 weeks'treatment,14.4%(22/153)and 20.7%(31/150)of patients,respectively,who switched from NA to Peg-IFN alfa-2a cleared HBsAg.Rates were similar irrespective of prior NA or baseline HBeAg seroconversion.Among those who cleared HBsAg by the end of 48 and 96 weeks'treatment,77.8%(14/18)and 71.4%(20/28),respectively,sustained HBsAg loss for a further 48 weeks.Baseline HBsAg<1500 IU/mL and week 24 HBsAg<200 IU/mL were associated with the highest rates of HBsAg loss at the end of both 48-and 96-week treatment(51.4%and 58.7%,respectively).Importantly,extending treatment from 48 to 96 weeks enabled 48.3%(14/29)more patients to achieve HBsAg loss.Conclusions:Patients on long-term NA who are unlikely to meet therapeutic goals can achieve high rates of HBsAg loss by switching to Peg-IFN alfa-2a.HBsAg loss rates may be improved for some patients by extending treatment from 48 to 96 weeks,although the differences in our study cohort were not statistically significant.Baseline and on-treatment HBsAg may predict HBsAg loss with Peg-IFN alfa-2a.

Efficacy and Safety of 12-week Interferon-based Danoprevir Regimen in Patients with Genotype 1 Chronic Hepatitis C

Background and Aims:Genotype(GT)1 remains the predominant hepatitis c virus(HCV)GT in Chinese patients.Over 80%of those Chinese patients harbor the interferon-sensitive CC allele of IFNL4rs12979860,which is favorable for interferon-based treatment regimens.This phaseⅢclinical trial aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the ritonavirboosted danoprevir plus pegylated-interferonα-2a and ribavirin regimen for 12 weeks in treatment-na(i)ve mainland Chinese patients infected with HCV GT1 without cirrhosis.Methods:One hundred and forty-one treatment-na(i)ve,non-cirrhotic HCV GT1 Chinese patients(age≥18 years)were enrolled for this single-arm,multicenter,phaseⅢMANASA study(NCT03020082).Patients received a combination of ritonavir-boosted danoprevir(100 mg/100 mg)twice a day plus subcutaneous injection of weekly pegylated-interferonα-2a(180μg)and oral ribavirin(1000/1200 mg/day body weight<75/≥75 kg)for 12 weeks.The primary end-point was sustained virologic response rate at 12 weeks after the end of treatment.The secondary end-points were safety outcomes,tolerability,virologic response over time and relapse rate.Results:All enrolled patients were HCV GT1-infected,and most among them(97.9%,123/141)had the HCV GT1b subtype.Single-nucleotide polymorphism test showed that the majority of patients were of the IFNL4 rs12979860 CC genotype(87.2%,123/141).Overall,140 patients completed the 12-week treatment,and 97.1%(136/140)patients achieved sustained virologic response at 12 weeks(per protocol population group,95%confidence interval:92.9-99.2%).Only drug-related serious adverse event occurred.Most of the adverse events were grade 1 and grade 2 alanine aminotransferase elevation or liver dysfunction.One patient discontinued treatment because of severe head injury in a car accident.Conclusions:The triple regimen of ritonavir-boosted danoprevir plus pegylated-interferonα-2a and ribavirin produced a sustained virologic response rate of 97.1%after 12 weeks treatment in noncirrhotic HCV GT1-infected Chinese patients,and was safe and well tolerated.