Addition of PEG-interferon to long-term nucleos(t)ide analogue therapy enhances HBsAg decline and clearance in HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B: Multicentre Randomized Trial (PAS Study)

We studied whether 48 weeks of PEG-IFN alfa-2a add-on increases HBsAg-decline and clearance in HBeAg-negative patients on long-term nucleo(s)tide analogue (NA) therapy. In this investigator-initiated, randomized, controlled trial conducted in Europe and Canada, HBeAg-negative patients treated with NA > 12 months, with HBVDNA < 200 IU/mL, were enrolled. Patients were randomized 2:1 to 48 weeks of PEG-IFN alfa-2a add-on (180 μg per week) or continued NA-monotherapy with subsequent follow-up to Week 72. Endpoints were HBsAg decline (≥1 log10 IU/mL) and HBsAg clearance at Week 48. Of the 86 patients in the modified-intention-to-treat analysis, 58 patients received PEG-IFN add-on, and 28 continued NA monotherapy. At Week 48, 16(28%) patients achieved HBsAg decline ≥1 log10 in the add-on arm versus none on NA-monotherapy (p < .001), and HBsAg clearance was observed in 6 (10%) PEG-IFN add-on patients versus 0% NA-monotherapy (p = .01). HBVRNA was only detected in 2% after PEG-IFN treatment versus 19% in NA-monotherapy (p = .002) at Week 48. PEG-IFN add-on therapy was well tolerated in majority of patients. Low baseline HBsAg levels (<10 IU/mL) identified patients most likely to achieve HBsAg loss with PEG-IFN add-on, whereas an HBsAg level > 200 IU/mL at on-treatment Week 12 was highly predictive of non-response (NPV = 100%). Addition of PEG-IFN to long-term NA enhanced HBsAg decline and increased the chance of HBsAg clearance in HBeAg-negative patients on long-term NA. On-treatment HBsAg levels >200 IU/mL identify patients unlikely to benefit from PEG-IFN add-on and could be used as a potential stopping-rule for PEG-IFN therapy. Our findings support further exploration of immune modulation add-on to antiviral therapy, preferably using response-guided strategies, to increase functional cure rates in patients with CHB.

Crohn's Disease Features in Anastomotic Biopsies from Patients With and Without Crohn's Disease: Diagnostic and Prognostic Value

Endoscopic evidence of disease activity is a critical predictor of clinical relapse in patients with Crohn's disease (CD), and histologic disease activity is evolving as a similarly important end point for patient management. However, classical morphologic features of CD may overlap with postoperative inflammatory changes, confounding the evaluation of anastomotic biopsies. There is a clear unmet need for better characterization of diagnostic and clinically significant histologic features of CD in these surgically altered sites. We evaluated ileocolonic and colocolonic/rectal anastomotic biopsies performed at 3 academic institutions in patients with and without CD. The biopsies were blindly assessed for CD histologic features and correlated to clinical and endoscopic characteristics. In CD patients, the presence of each feature was correlated with the subsequent clinical exacerbation or relapse. We obtained anastomotic biopsies from 208 patients, of which 109 were operated on for CD and 99 for another indication (neoplasia [80%], diverticular disease (11%), and other [9%]). Mean time since surgery was 10 years (0-59; 14 years for CD [1-59], 6 years for non-CD [0-33]). Endoscopic inflammation was noted in 52% of cases (68% for CD and 35% for non-CD). Microscopic inflammation was present in 74% of cases (82% for CD and 67% for non-CD). Only discontinuous lymphoplasmacytosis (P < .001) and pyloric gland metaplasia (P = .04) occurred significantly more often in CD patients. However, none of the histologic features predicted clinical disease progression. In subset analysis, the presence of histologic features of CD in nonanastomotic biopsies obtained concurrently in CD patients was significantly associated with relapse (P = .03). Due to extensive morphologic overlap between CD and postoperative changes and the lack of specific histologic features of relapse, biopsies from anastomotic sites are of no value in predicting clinical CD progression. Instead, CD activity in biopsies obtained away from anastomotic sites should be used for guiding endoscopic sampling and clinical management.

Effects of on-treatment ALT flares on serum HBsAg and HBV RNA in patients with chronic HBV infection

As pegylated interferon alpha (PEG-IFN-α) is increasingly used in combination regimens of novel drugs, we aimed to characterize ALT flares and their relationship with serum HBsAg and HBV RNA kinetics in a large combined cohort of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients on PEG-IFN-α-based therapy. In this post hoc analysis of four international randomized trials, 269/130/124/128 patients on PEG-IFN-α monotherapy, PEG-IFN-α plus nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA) de novo combination, PEG-IFN-α add-on to NA or NA monotherapy were included, respectively. A flare was defined as an episode of ALT ≥5 × ULN. The association between flares and HBsAg and HBV RNA changes were examined. On-treatment flares occurred in 83/651 (13%) patients (median timing/magnitude: week 8 [IQR 4-12], 7.6 × ULN [IQR 6.2-10.5]). Flare patients were more often Caucasians with genotype A/D and had higher baseline ALT, HBV DNA, HBV RNA and HBsAg levels than the no-flare group. More flares were observed on PEG-IFN-α monotherapy (18%) and PEG-IFN+NA de novo combination (24%) vs. PEG-IFN-α add-on (2%) or NA monotherapy (1%) (p < .001). On-treatment flares were significantly and independently associated with HBsAg and HBV RNA decline ≥1 log₁₀ at the final visit declines started shortly before the flare, progressing towards 24 weeks thereafter. On-treatment flares were seen in 16/22 (73%) patients who achieved HBsAg loss. In conclusion, ALT flares during PEG-IFN-α treatment are associated with subsequent HBsAg and HBV RNA decline and predict subsequent HBsAg loss. Flares rarely occurred during PEG-IFN-α add-on therapy and associated with low HBsAg loss rates. Combination regimens targeting the window of heightened response could be promising.

Effectiveness and Renal Safety of Tenofovir Alafenamide Fumarate among Chronic Hepatitis B Patients: Real-World Study

Tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (TAF) has high plasma stability resulting in fewer renal adverse events compared to tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. We aimed to study the effectiveness and renal safety of TAF in a real-world setting, in patients with or without compromised kidney function. CHB patients (Nucleos(t)ide Analogue [NA]-naïve or experienced) who received TAF >1 year from 11 academic institutions as part of the Canadian Hepatitis B Network (CanHepB) were included. Kidney function was measured by estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) as per Cockcroft-Gault. Patients were followed for up to 160 weeks. Of 176 patients receiving TAF, 143 switched from NA (88% TDF), and 33(19%) were NA naïve. Majority of NA-naïve patients (75%) achieved undetectable HBV DNA after one year of TAF treatment. Majority of patients with eGFR <60 mL/min who had renal deterioration during TDF (76%) reversed to eGFR increase after one year of TAF (p=0.009). Among patients with stage 2 chronic kidney disease (CKD) (eGFR 60-89), the estimated eGFR decline during TDF was halted after switching to TAF (p=0.09). NA-experienced patients with abnormal ALT before TAF showed a significant decline after switching to TAF: -0.005 [-0.006 - -0.004] log₁₀ ULN U/L/month, p<0.001). In CHB patients, TAF was safe, well-tolerated and effective in this real-world cohort. Switching to TAF led to improved kidney function, particularly in those with stage 2 CKD, which suggests that the indication for TAF in the guidelines could be extended to patients with an eGFR higher than 60 mL/min.

Hepatitis B Virus RNA as Early Predictor for Response to Pegylated Interferon Alpha in HBeAg-Negative Chronic Hepatitis B

BACKGROUND

Hepatitis B virus RNA (HBV-RNA) is a novel serum biomarker that correlates with transcription of intrahepatic covalently closed circular (cccDNA), which is an important target for pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) and novel therapies for functional cure. We studied HBV-RNA kinetics following PEG-IFN treatment and its potential role as a predictor to response in HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients.

METHODS

HBV-RNA levels were measured in 133 HBeAg-negative CHB patients treated in an international randomized controlled trial (PARC study). Patients received PEG-IFN α-2a for 48 weeks. HBV-RNA was measured from baseline through week 144. Response was defined as HBV-DNA <2000 IU/mL and ALT normalization at week 72. Kinetics of HBV-RNA were compared with HBV-DNA, HBsAg, and HBcrAg.

RESULTS

Mean HBV-RNA at baseline was 4.4 (standard deviation [SD] 1.2) log10 c/mL. At week 12, HBV-RNA declined by -1.6 (1.1) log10 c/mL. HBV-RNA showed a greater decline in responders compared to nonresponders early at week 12 (-2.0 [1.2] vs -1.5 [1.1] log10 c/mL, P = .04). HBV-RNA level above 1700 c/mL (3.2 log10 c/mL) had a negative predictive value of 91% at week 12 and 93% at week 24 (P = .01) for response. Overall, HBV-RNA showed a stronger correlation with HBV-DNA and HBcrAg (.82 and .80, P < .001) and a weak correlation with HBsAg (.25). At week 12, HBV-RNA was significantly lower among patients with lower HBsAg (<100 IU/mL) or HBsAg loss at week 144.

CONCLUSIONS

During PEG-IFN treatment for HBeAg-negative CHB, HBV-RNA showed a fast and significant decline that correlates with treatment response and HBsAg loss at long-term follow-up.

CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION

NCT00114361.