Among HIV-positive people, it is preferable to treat hepatitis B virus (HBV) with a two-drug regimen rather than with monotherapy. Publishing their findings in the journal AIDS, researchers looked at treatment outcomes of 115 HIV/HBV coinfected individuals in one of two global randomized clinical trials conducted by the Adult AIDS Clinical Trials Group.

The participants received hep B monotherapy with either Epivir (lamivudine) or Emtriva (emtricitabine) or hep B dual therapy with Viread (tenofovir) plus Epivir or Emtriva.

After 24 weeks of treatment, 60 percent of the participants had an HBV viral load below 200, a proportion that rose to 79 percent after 144 weeks. A higher proportion of those in the dual therapy group achieved this low of a hep B viral load at the second point in time.

Twelve participants, all in the monotherapy group, developed Epivir-resistance mutations in their hep B.

To read the study abstract, click here.