A Randomized, Controlled, Clinical Study of Thymosin Alpha-1 Versus Interferon-Alpha in Chinese Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B Lacking Hepatitis B Envelope Antigen

These results suggest that a 6-month course of T-α1 therapy is effective and safe in patients with anti-Hbe-positive chronic hepatitis B; T-α1 can reduce HBV replication in such patients. Compared with IFN-α, T-α1 is better tolerated and seems to induce a gradual and more sustained normalization of ALT and loss of HBV DNA. Combination therapy with T-α1 and IFN-α or nucleoside analogs for hepatitis B warrants further study.