Responses are durable for up to 5 years after completion of peginterferon alfa-2a treatment in hepatitis B e antigen-positive patients

Long-term effects of peginterferon-based therapy versus nucleos(t)ide analogue monotherapy in non-cirrhotic HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients

BACKGROUND & AIMS

The long-term clinical benefits of interferon (IFN)-based therapy compared to nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA) monotherapy in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) have not been well defined. This study aimed to evaluate the cumulative incidence of new-onset cirrhosis, serological responses, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development between these treatment strategies.

METHODS

Two independent cohorts of non-cirrhotic, HBeAg-positive CHB patients were analyzed: a treatment-naïve cohort (n = 686) and an NA-experienced cohort (n = 531). Patients received either IFN-based therapy or NA monotherapy. Propensity score matching (PSM) was employed to minimize intergroup heterogeneity. The primary endpoint was the cumulative incidence of new-onset cirrhosis.

RESULTS

After PSM, the 10-year cumulative incidence of new-onset cirrhosis was significantly lower in the IFN-based therapy group compared to the NA monotherapy group in both the treatment-naïve (3.3 % vs 20.0 %, p = 0.005) and NA-experienced (4.9 % vs 20.9 %, p = 0.034) cohorts. IFN-based therapy also resulted in significantly higher serological response rates across both cohorts, including HBeAg loss (treatment-naïve: 84.7 % vs 55.6 %; NA-experienced: 60.4 % vs 43.6 %, both p < 0.001) and HBsAg loss (treatment-naïve: 14.3 % vs 5.7 %, p = 0.006; NA-experienced: 10.2 % vs 1.3 %, p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis showed that patients receiving IFN-based therapy who achieved HBeAg loss within 96 weeks had the greatest long-term benefits, with lower cirrhosis incidence and higher HBsAg loss rates. Although the incidence of HCC was lower in the IFN-based group, the difference did not reach statistical significance (both p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

IFN-based therapy provides superior long-term benefits over NA monotherapy in reducing cirrhosis risk and enhancing serological responses in HBeAg-positive CHB patients.

The efficacy and safety of adding on or switching to peginterferon α-2b in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients with long-term entecavir treatment: a multicentre randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND & AIMS

The strategies of adding on or switching to peginterferon (PEG-IFN) improved the serological response rates in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) who had previously experienced treatment with nucleos(t)ide analogues. However, robust data on which combination strategy is more effective remain lacking.

METHODS

In this multicentre, parallel, open-label, randomised, controlled trial, patients with HBeAg-positive CHB who were treated with entecavir ≥2 years, and had hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) <3000 IU/ml, HBeAg <200S/CO and HBV DNA <50 IU/ml were randomly assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio to add on PEG-IFN, switch to PEG-IFN or continue entecavir monotherapy for 48 weeks. The primary endpoint was HBeAg seroconversion at week 48.

RESULTS

A total of 153 patients were randomised into three treatment arms (50 in add-on, 52 in switch-to and 51 in monotherapy). Compared with continuous entecavir monotherapy, both add-on and switch-to strategies achieved higher rates of HBeAg seroconversion (18.0% vs. 2.0%, p = 0.007; 19.2% vs. 2.0%, p = 0.005, respectively), HBeAg loss (24.0% vs. 5.9%, p = 0.010; 23.1% vs. 5.9%, p = 0.013, respectively), HBsAg < 100 IU/ml (30.0% vs. 0%, p < 0.001; 34.6% vs. 0%, p < 0.001, respectively), and higher HBsAg reduction (-0.90 vs. -0.06 log₁₀ IU/ml, p < 0.001; -0.92 vs. -0.06 log₁₀ IU/ml, p < 0.001, respectively) at week 48. The efficacy was comparable between add-on and switch-to arms (p > 0.05). Adverse events were mainly related to PEG-IFN but generally tolerable.

CONCLUSION

In patients with CHB who achieved virological response with long-term entecavir, both adding on and switching to PEG-IFN are alternative strategies resulting in higher rates of HBeAg seroconversion and HBsAg reduction than continuous entecavir.

CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (www.chictr.org.cn, identifier: ChiCTR-IPR-17012055).

Advances in treatment and prevention of hepatitis B

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) continues to contribute to worldwide morbidity and mortality significantly. Scientists, clinicians, pharmaceutical companies, and health organizations have dedicated substantial Intellectual and monetary resources to finding a cure, increasing immunization rates, and reducing the global burden of CHB. National and international health-related organizations including the center for disease control, the national institute of health, the American Association for the study of liver disease (AASLD), The European association for the study of the Liver (EASL), The Asia Pacific association for the study of the Liver (APASL) and the world health organization release periodic recommendations for disease prevention and treatment. Our review of the most recent guidelines by EASL, AASLD, APASL, and Taiwan Association for the Study of the Liver revealed that an overwhelming majority of cited studies were published before 2018. We reviewed Hepatitis B-related literature published 2018 onwards to identify recent developments and current barriers that will likely direct future efforts towards eradicating hepatitis B. The breakthrough in our understanding of the hepatitis B virus life cycle and resulting drug development is encouraging with significant room for further progress. Data from high-risk populations, most vulnerable to the devastating effects of hepatitis B infection and reactivation remain sparse. Utilization of systems approach, optimization of experimental models, identification and validation of next-generation biomarkers, and precise modulation of the human immune response will be critical for future innovation. Within the foreseeable future, new treatments will likely complement conventional therapies rather than replace them. Most Importantly, pragmatic management of CHB related population health challenges must be prioritized to produce real-world results.

HBsAg quantification predicts off-treatment response to interferon in chronic hepatitis B patients: a retrospective study of 250 cases

BACKGROUND

For chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients without willingness to extend the routine duration of interferon (IFN) therapy, it is important to identify patients who will benefit from treatment cessation. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) quantification is recommended for management of IFN therapy. At present, the understanding on end-of-treatment (EOT) HBsAg level predicting post-treatment response to IFN is still finite.

METHODS

A total of 2451 non-cirrhosis, HBsAg-postive patients treated with IFN-based therapy during the period from December 2010 to December 2017 at Nanfang Hospital were enrolled in this study. Serum HBsAg levels at EOT were measured to evaluate the associations between EOT HBsAg levels (Group 1, HBsAg > 0.05 and ≤ 10 IU/mL; Group 2, HBsAg > 10 and ≤ 200 IU/mL; Group 3, HBsAg > 200 IU/mL) with post-treatment HBsAg loss. Chi-squared, t-test,,Kaplan-Meier analysis, Cox regression analysis, and Multivariate Logistic regression analysis were used to analyse and evaluate differences between the there groups.

RESULTS

The cumulative HBsAg loss rates 5 years after treatment in Group 1-3 were 30.4% (17/56), 9.8%(4/41) and 0%(0/153) (p < 0.001). An EOT HBsAg level of > 10 IU/mL showed relatively high negative predictive value (NPV) of up to 97.9% for HBsAg loss. Low baseline HBsAg level < 25,000 IU/mL, on-treatment HBsAg decline > 1 log10IU/mL at week 24 and EOT HBsAg level ≤ 10 IU/mL were found significantly associated with HBsAg loss. A total of 6 patients have achieved HBsAg loss at EOT and 17 patients with EOT HBsAg level ≤ 10 IU/mL have achieved post-treatment HBsAg loss. Baseline characteristics, dynamic changes of on-treatment HBsAg and duration of IFN therapy were balanced across patients with EOT or post-treatment HBsAg loss.

CONCLUSION

EOT HBsAg level can serve as a monitoring indicator for IFN therapy. EOT HBsAg level ≤ 10 IU/mL was found to lead to high rate of post-treatment HBsAg loss. For patients without willingness to extend IFN treatment, off-treatment follow-up could be considered when HBsAg level decreased to ≤10 IU/mL.

Genetic variation in FCER1A predicts peginterferon alfa-2a-induced hepatitis B surface antigen clearance in East Asian patients with chronic hepatitis B

In a multicentre, genome-wide association study to identify host genetic factors associated with treatment response in adult chronic hepatitis B patients, genotype data were obtained by microarray analysis from 1669 patients who received peginterferon alfa-2a for ≥ 24 weeks with/without a nucleos(t)ide analog. Treatment response was assessed at least 24 weeks post-treatment, using serological and/or virological endpoints. Thirty-six single-marker analyses and a gene-by-gene analysis were conducted. No single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) achieved genome-wide significance (P < 5 × 10^-8 ) in single-marker analyses, but suggestive associations (P < 1 × 10^-5 ) were identified for 116 SNPs. In gene-by-gene analyses, one gene, FCER1A (rs7549785), reached genome-wide significance (P = 2.65 × 10^-8 ) in East Asian patients for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) clearance, with a moderate effect size (odds ratio = 4.74). Eleven of 44 carriers (25%) of the A allele at rs7549785 achieved HBsAg clearance compared with 69/1051 (7%) noncarriers. FCER1A encodes the alpha subunit of the immunoglobulin E receptor. In a post hoc analysis of a homogenous patient subset, the strongest intragenic association was for rs7712322 (POLR3G, P = 7.21 × 10^-7 ). POLR3G encodes the G subunit of the polymerase (RNA) III enzyme, involved in sensing and limiting infection by intracellular bacteria and DNA viruses, and as a DNA sensor in innate immune responses. FCER1A (rs7549785) and possibly POLR3G (rs7712322) are shown to be associated with peginterferon alfa-2a response in adult patients with chronic hepatitis B. Independent confirmation of these findings is warranted (clinicaltrials.gov number NCT01855997).

Early Serum HBsAg Drop Is a Strong Predictor of HBeAg Seroconversion and HBsAg Loss to Pegylated Interferon Alfa-2a in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients with Prior Nucleos(t)ide Analogue Exposure

BACKGROUND High rates of HBeAg and/or HBsAg seroconversion or clearance have been achieved in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients receiving pegylated interferon (pegIFN) in addition to ongoing nucleos(t)ide analogue (NUC) treatment. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate HBsAg kinetics to predict HBeAg seroconversion and HBsAg clearance in these patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 33 HBeAg-positive and 17 HBeAg-negative patients were enrolled between January 2010 and January 2018. At the end of pegIFN treatment, 9 of 50 patients achieved HBsAg clearance, and 9 of 33 HBeAg-positive patients achieved HBeAg seroconversion. RESULTS The cutoff value of 0.41 log₁₀ IU/mL in HBsAg decline at week 12 had a positive predictive value (PPV) of 58.3% and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 94.6% for HBsAg clearance. The cutoff value of 1.94 log₁₀ IU/mL in HBsAg decline at week 24 had a PPV of 80.0% and an NPV of 97.5% for HBsAg clearance. The cutoff value of 0.47 log₁₀ IU/mL in HBsAg decline at week 12 had a PPV of 83.3% and an NPV of 85.2% for HBeAg seroconversion. The cutoff value of 1.29 log₁₀ IU/mL in in HBsAg decline at week 24 had a PPV of 85.7% and an NPV of 88.5% for HBeAg seroconversion. CONCLUSIONS Early HBsAg drop has a high predictive value for HBsAg clearance and HBeAg seroconversion in patients who were treated with combination therapy of pegIFN and NUCs.