Randomised clinical trial: 48 weeks of treatment with tenofovir amibufenamide versus tenofovir disoproxil fumarate for patients with chronic hepatitis B

Background: Tenofovir amibufenamide (TMF) can provide more efficient delivery than tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF).

Aim: To compare the efficacy and safety of TMF and TDF for 48 weeks in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB).

Methods: We performed a randomised, double-blind, non-inferiority study at 49 sites in China. Patients with CHB were assigned (2:1) to receive either 25 mg TMF or 300 mg TDF with matching placebo. The primary efficacy endpoint was the proportion of patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA less than 20 IU/mL at week 48. We also assessed safety, particularly bone, renal and metabolic abnormalities.

Results: We randomised 1002 eligible patients. The baseline characteristics were well balanced between groups. After a median 48 weeks of treatment, the non-inferiority criterion was met in all analysis sets. In the HBeAg-positive population, 50.2% of patients receiving TMF and 53.7% receiving TDF achieved HBV DNA less than 20 IU/mL. In the HBeAg-negative population, 88.9% and 87.8%, respectively, achieved HBV DNA less than 20 IU/mL in the TMF and TDF groups. Patients receiving TMF had significantly less decrease in bone mineral density at both hip (P < 0.001) and spine (P < 0.001), and a smaller increase in serum creatinine at week 48 (P < 0.05). Other safety results were similar between groups.

Conclusion: TMF was non-inferior to TDF in terms of anti-HBV efficacy and showed better bone and renal safety. (NCT03903796).