Treatment of chronic hepatitis B: will entecavir and telbivudine do the trick?

Rapid evolution and development in the treatment strategy of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) has taken place in the last decade. Six agents have been so far approved by the FDA for the management of HBV infection including two parenteral drugs (interferon alpha2b and pegylated interferon alpha-2a) and four oral nucleotide/nucleosides (lamivudine, adefovir dipivoxil, entecavir, and telbivudine). The two parenteral drugs have significant side effects and limited rates of HBeAg seroconversion. Lamivudine and Adefovir have been plagued by significant levels of drug resistance.The newer drugs entecavir and telbivudine have been in focus recently with claims of increased potency, with low side effects and lesser drug resistance. While these new drugs are definitely a welcome addition to the family of antiviral drugs against HBV, they are not necessarily a cure for all the evils of their predecessors.