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Thymosin α1 treatment of chronic hepatitis B: results of a phase III multicentre, randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study

  1. M. G. Mutchnick1,
  2. K. L. Lindsay2,
  3. E. R. Schiff3,
  4. G. D. Cummings1,
  5. H. D. Appelman4,
  6. R. R. Peleman1,
  7. M. Silva3,
  8. K. C. Roach3,
  9. F. Simmons2,
  10. S. Milstein2,
  11. S. C. Gordon1,
  12. M. N. Ehrinpreis1

Article first published online: 28 FEB 2002

DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2893.1999.00181.x

Issue

Journal of Viral Hepatitis

Journal of Viral Hepatitis

Volume 6, Issue 5, pages 397–403, September 1999

Additional Information

How to Cite

Mutchnick, M. G., Lindsay, K. L., Schiff, E. R., Cummings, G. D., Appelman, H. D., Peleman, R. R., Silva, M., Roach, K. C., Simmons, F., Milstein, S., Gordon, S. C. and Ehrinpreis, M. N. (1999), Thymosin α1 treatment of chronic hepatitis B: results of a phase III multicentre, randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study. Journal of Viral Hepatitis, 6: 397–403. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2893.1999.00181.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI,,

  2. 2

    Division of Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA,,

  3. 3

    Center for Liver Diseases, University of Miami School of Medicine and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL and,

  4. 4

    Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

* Dr Milton G. Mutchnick Division of Gastroenterology, Harper Hospital, 3990 John R., Detroit, MI 48201, USA

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 28 FEB 2002
  2. Article first published online: 28 FEB 2002

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Keywords:

  • chronic hepatitis B;
  • thymosin;
  • treatment

Previous clinical trials have suggested that thymosin α1 (Tα1), an immunomodulatory peptide, may be effective in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB). The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of Tα1 in a multicentre, placebo-controlled and double-blind study of 97 patients with serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA- and hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive CHB. Patients who had been hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive for at least 12 months entered a 3-month screening period prior to randomization. Forty-nine patients received Tα1 (1.6 mg) and 48 patients received placebo, twice weekly for 6 months, and were followed-up for an additional 6 months. At inclusion, both groups were comparable for age, gender, histological grading, and aminotransferase and HBV DNA levels. A complete response to treatment, defined as a sustained serum HBV DNA-negative status (two negative results at least 3 months apart) during the 12-month study, with negative HBV DNA and HBeAg values at month 12, was seen in seven (14%) patients given Tα1 and in two (4%) patients treated with placebo (P = 0.084). Five (10%) patients given Tα1 and four (8%) patients given placebo exhibited a delayed response (defined as sustained serum HBV DNA negativity achieved after the 12-month study period with negative HBV DNA and HBeAg values at the last assessment). A total of 12 (25%) patients given Tα1 and six (13%) patients given placebo showed a sustained loss of HBV DNA with a negative HBeAg value during or following the 12-month study period (P < 0.11). These results do not confirm observations of treatment efficacy reported in other clinical studies.

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