Entecavir (ETV)

Entecavir is an oral antiviral drug used in the treatment of hepatitis B infection. Entecavir is a nucleoside analog (more specifically, a guanosine analogue) that inhibits reverse transcription, DNA replication and transcription in the viral replication process. The drug"""s manufacturer claims that entecavir is more efficacious than previous agents used to treat hepatitis B (lamivudine and adefovir). Entecavir is used to treat chronic hepatitis B. It also helps prevent the hepatitis B virus from multiplying and infecting new liver cells. Entecavir is also indicated for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B in adults with HIV/AIDS infection. However, entecavir is not active against HIV. The clinical efficacy of entecavir has been studied in several randomized, double-blind, multicentre trials. Oral entecavir was an effective and generally well tolerated treatment.