Predictors of sustained response in hepatitis B surface antigen-negative patients after peginterferon therapy: an observational study

versus -1.45 (1.67) and -1.69 (1.41) for control; mean (SD) change from BL at FU W24 was -2.52 (1.23) for HBeAg and -2.74 (1.11) for HBcrAg with JNJ-3989 200 mg versus -1.50 (1.70) and -1.71 (1.57) for control.Despite lower BL HBeAg and HBcrAg levels in VS and/or HBeAg-patients, seroclearance of these markers was infrequent.In NCT HBeAg+ patients, mean (SE) HBV RNA change from BL at W48 was -3.66 (1.11) log 10 copies/ml for JNJ-3989 200 mg and -4.68 (1.16) for JNJ-3989 100 mg+JNJ-6379+NA versus -1.34 (1.40) for control.The respective HBV RNA undetectability rates at W48 were 29%, 100% and 0%.Off-treatment HBV RNA levels generally remained stable or declined in the JNJ-3989 arms, but increased in the JNJ-6379 arms consistent with the direct inhibition of HBV RNA release by JNJ-6379.Numerically greater decline in HBV DNA was seen with JNJ-3989 100 and 200 mg and JNJ-6379 containing arms versus control.Conclusion: Treatment with JNJ-3989 reduced levels of HBV markers in a dose dependent manner.Reductions in viral markers were most pronounced in NCT HBeAg+ patients.