Efficacy of Tenofovir and Emtricitabine in ARV-naive Patients With HIV/HBV Co-infection

The primary study objective is to compare HBV DNA suppression to levels below the limit of detection (<400 copies/ml) by week 48 in each treatment group. Virological and clinical anti-HBV efficacy of tenofovir and emtricitabine in antiretroviral naive patients with HIV/HBV co-infection.

Inclusion criteria

• Written informed consent
• Documented HIV infection (positive serology for HIV-1 and detectable HIV-1 RNA)
• Age 18 - 70 years
• HBV DNA > 106 copies/ml
• HBsAg positive for > 6 months

In case documented duration of HBsAg seropositive is less than 6 months (this situation is most likely to occur in patients newly presenting to the HIV-outpatient clinic) the patient is eligible if the patient is:

• HBsAg positive and
• HBc core IgM antibody negative and
• the liver biopsy gives evidence for a chronic active hepatitis. Thus making it likely that this patient has acquired the HBV infection more than 6 months ago.

• ALT < 10 x ULN
• Creatinine <= 2.0mg/dl
• Platelet count >= 50,000/mm3
• HIV-1 therapy naive
• No prior exposure to anti-HBV agents (LAM, adefovir, TDF) although prior IFN treatment allowed

Exclusion criteria

• HCV-RNA positive or Anti-HAV IgM positive
• Acute hepatitis (serum ALT > 1000 U/L)
• Prior LAM, TDF, or ADV therapy
• Active opportunistic infection
• Other causes of chronic liver disease identified ( autoimmune hepatitis, haemochromatosis, Wilsons disease, alfa-1-antitrypsin deficiency)
• Concurrent malignancy requiring cytotoxic chemotherapy
• Decompensated or Child's C cirrhosis
• Alfa-fetoprotein (AFP) > 3X ULN (unless negative CT scan or MRI within 3 months of entry date)
• Pregnancy or lactation
• Any other condition which in the opinion of the investigator might interfere with compliance or outcome of the study