Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B

Abstract

Tenofovir is a nucleotide analog reverse transcriptase inhibitor approved recently by the US FDA for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) in adult patients based on the results of two double-blind randomized trials demonstrating superiority of tenofovir compared with adefovir. Tenofovir is available orally as tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (ester pro-drug of tenofovir) and inhibits replication of both hepatitis B virus and HIV-1. Owing to its potent antiviral activity, favorable safety profile, and higher barrier to the development of resistance, tenofovir has replaced adefovir as a first-line oral monotherapy option in the treatment of CHB in the 2009 update of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) Practice Guidelines. Additionally, tenofovir monotherapy or in combination with nucleoside analogs are options for patients who have developed resistance to other CHB therapies including lamivudine and adefovir.

Keywords::

• chronic hepatitis B
• nucleotide analog reverse transcriptase inhibitor
• tenofovir disoproxil fumarate

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.