Different Regimens of Pegylated Interferon and Lamivudine Combination Therapy in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients

Inclusion Criteria: * HBsAg positive for at least 6 months prior to screening * Serum HBV-DNA \> 10\^6 copies per ml at screening * Serum HBeAg positive at screening * Abnormal ALT (1.3-10x upper limit normal) within one month prior to entry * Compensated liver disease with the following minimum criteria: 1. Hemoglobin within range \& not less than 10% from lower normal limit 2. WBC \>= 4,000/mm3 3. Platelets \>= 100,000/mm3 4. Bilirubin normal (except for Gilbert's disease). 5. Albumin stable and normal * Serum creatinine normal or not more than 10% above the upper normal limit * Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) within normal limits (Patients requiring medication to maintain TSH levels in the normal range are eligible if all other inclusion/exclusion criteria are met.) * Alfa-fetoprotein in normal range (obtained within the previous year, or if elevated and \< 500 ng/ml with a negative ultrasound for hepatocellular carcinoma at screening). * Written informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Co-infection with hepatitis C virus and/or HIV * Evidence or history of decompensated liver disease 1. Child's B cirrhosis 2. Ascites, bleeding varices, spontaneous encephalopathy 3. Hypersplenism (hemoglobin, white cell count, platelet outside inclusion criteria) 4. Coagulopathy (PT \> 13 sec) * Any known pre-existing medical condition that could interfere with the patient's participation in and completion of the treatment such as: * Pre-existing psychiatric condition, especially severe depression, or a history of severe psychiatric disorder. * Patients on anti-depressant therapy are excluded * CNS trauma or active seizure disorders requiring medication * Poorly controlled diabetes mellitus * Immunologically mediated disease (e.g., inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, lupus erythematous, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, scleroderma, severe psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis). * Clinical gout * ANA \> 1:320 * documentation that women of childbearing potential are using contraception. A serum pregnancy test obtained within two weeks prior to initiation of treatment must be negative. Female patients must not be breast feeding. * Any known history of hypersensitivity to nucleoside analogues or interferon * Previous use of interferon, lamivudine, immunosuppressive drugs or corticosteroid * Subjects with clinically significant retinal abnormality * Substance abuse, such as alcohol (\>80 g/day), iv drugs and inhaled drugs. If the subject has a history of substance abuse, to be considered for inclusion into the protocol, the subject must have abstained from using the abused substance for at least 2 years. Subjects receiving methadone within the past 2 years are also excluded. * Subjects not willing to be counseled/abstain from the consumption of alcohol