New Drugs Approved In Japan Help Contain HBV Growth
This article was originally published in PharmAsia News
Executive Summary
Among the 1.3 million to1.5 million hepatitis B carriers in Japan, 10 percent have developed full symptoms. Others usually live normally for years without symptoms; however, eventually most carriers develop into chronic hepatitis B patients. After GlaxoSmithKline's lamivudine was approved in Japan, 80 percent to 90 percent of patients who took the drug were virus free within a year and have normal liver function. However, long-term use of lamivudine can lead to drug resistance. Two other drugs approved in Japan, GSK's adefovir and Bristol-Myers Squibb's Baraclude are better at developing less resistance, but are more costly. (Click for more-Japanese language