A look at Baraclude (entectavir) as treatment for hepatitis B virus (HBV) in real-world settings found the drug was safe and effective, but not as effective as in clinical trials. Publishing their findings in Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study of 658 people with hep B, 36 percent of whom were HBeAg+, 9.3 percent of whom had cirrhosis, and 89 percent of whom had abnormal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels.

The median length of Baraclude treatment was four years.

After a respective one, three and five years of treatment, the proportion of those who saw their ALT levels normalize was 38 percent, 49 percent and 56 percent among those who were HBeAg+, and 40 percent, 47 percent and 56 percent among those who were HBeAg-. The respective rates of undetectable hep B after one, three and five years of treatment were 35 percent, 65 percent and 85 percent among those who were HBeAg+, and 82 percent, 90 percent and 96 percent among those who were HBeAg-.

The five-year cumulative probability of HBeAg loss and seroconversion was 46 percent and 34 percent, respectively, while the corresponding rate for HBsAg loss was 4.6 percent.

A total of 1.2 percent of the participants stopped taking Baraclude because of adverse health issues.

A total of 0.8 percent of participants experienced decompensated cirrhosis, while 2.7 percent developed liver cancer and 0.6 percent died.

To read the study abstract, click here.