Hepatitis B Support Group

Ive received some questions about this so I wanted to post some details about Entecavir.

1) It was FDA approved in April 2006 for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B infection in patients with evidence of active viral replication and either evidence of persistent elevations in serum aminotransferases (AST or ALTH) or histologically active disease (fibrosis on biopsy)
2) It is classified as an anti-retroviral nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) similar to Lamivudine which has been used for years in Hep B
3) Entecavir is effective in suppressing HBV replication in treatment-naive patients (patients who have never been treated previously) and in patients with a history of lamivudine resistant HBV infection.
4) Entecavir slows the progression of chronic hepatitis B infection and improves liver inflammation and fibrosis caused by HBV
5) The most commonly reported adverse events for entecavir were headache (2% with 0.5 mg dose, 4% with 1 mg dose), fatigue (1% with 0.5 mg dose, 3% with 1 mg dose), dizziness (< 1% with both doses), and nausea/vomiting (< 1% with both doses).

Hope this helps
Keep us posted on her progress
Dr O.
Posted on 12/12/07, 11:12 pm