Antiviral Therapy in Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)-Related Advanced Liver Disease Patients

Inclusion criteria * Male and female, 18 years of age or older * HBsAg positive for more than 6 months * Serum HBV DNA \> 2,000 IU/ml * Serum ALT \< 2 X ULN on two consecutive occasions at least 3 months apart * Naïve to nucleoside or nucleotide therapy * On liver biopsy, fibrosis score ≥ 3 according to METAVIR scoring system (within 2 years of Day 0) * If liver biopsy is not available, subjects must have two of the following items * Overt findings of cirrhosis by radiologic evidence (MRI, CT, US) * Gastrointestinal varices * Platelet count \< 100,000,Splenomegaly (Spleen size - 12cm) * The patient who is willing and able to provide written informed consent to participate in this study Exclusion criteria * A history of SBP, variceal bleeding, HEP, HCC * Decompensated liver disease (Child-Pugh score \> 10) * Co-infected with HCV or HIV * History of any other forms of liver disease. * Patient who is pregnant or breastfeeding * Treatment with immunosuppressive, immunomodulatory agents or antiviral agents within 6 months prior to study entry * A history of liver transplantation or planned for liver transplantation * A history of any other medical disease or condition that would make the patients unsuitable for the study. * Patient is currently abusing alcohol or illicit drugs or has a history of alcohol abuse or illicit substance abuse within the preceding 2 years. * Patient is enrolled or plans to enroll in another clinical trial of an investigational agent while participating in this study.