BioCentury
ARTICLE | Clinical News

Lamivudine data

November 18, 1996 8:00 AM UTC

Preliminary data from a Phase II study in 24 patients, of whom 23 were evaluable, show that persistent suppression of chronic hepatitis B infection is possible with extended use of lamivudine. As reported at the meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases in Chicago, 24 patients previously given the agent for one to three months in Phase II trials showed evidence of suppression for at least a year after extended treatment of 100 mg of the drug orally once a day.

Hepatitis e antigen was still present at enrollment, as was viral DNA. A mean treatment of 59 weeks gave persistent suppression of viral DNA in 20 of the patients; 9 lost detectable HBe antigen, with 5 acquiring anti-antigen antibodies and 2 losing the HBs antigen. ...