Randomized Controlled Study of Tenofovir Plus Telbivudine Versus Monotherapy With Either Drug in HBeAg Negative Chronic Hepatitis B Patients

Combination therapies using nucleos(t)ide analogues lead to higher viral suppression although it may not be sustained for long. Also it remains unknown if combination of more potent analogues is more beneficial than individual drugs. Thus this study is carried out to determine the efficacy and safety of combination of tenofovir plus telbivudine (two most potent nucleos(t)ide analogues)versus monotherapy with either drug alone. This is a 104 week open labelled, prospective, randomized, multicentric study. The patient will receive either tenofovir, telbivudine or the combination of two drugs. After completion of 24 weeks, the non-responders (ie HBV-DNA \> 300 copies/ ml) will be switched to combination arm and will continue receiving tenofovir plus telbivudine for 104 weeks.