Hepatitis B virus-induced cirrhosis: Mechanisms, global variations, and treatment advances

Table 1 Commonly used antiviral drugs for chronic hepatitis B virus patients

Drug	Sort	Advantages	Disadvantages	Development stage
Interferon-alpha	Interferon	Immunomodulatory and direct antiviral effects; A foundation of HBV therapy	Limited by prolonged treatment and significant adverse effects	Second-line therapy
Pegylated interferon-alpha	Interferon	Enhances T-cell function and reduces HBsAg levels with longer half-life; Better efficacy than regular interferon.	Side effects and tolerance differences; Longer treatment time	Second-line therapy
Lamivudine	Nucleoside analog	Initial efficacy; Easy availability	Cost-effective; High rate of resistance with prolonged use	Not recommended
Entecavir	Nucleoside analog	Potent antiviral activity; Low resistance profile	Risk of resistance with long-term use; Higher cost	First-line therapy
Adefovir	Nucleoside analog	Competitively inhibits HBV reverse transcriptase; effective in lowering HBV DNA levels	Risk of interstitial fibrosis with prolonged use	Not recommended
Tenofovir (TDF)	Nucleoside analog	Steady efficacy; Quick reduction in HBV DNA levels; Widely recognized as primary treatment	Long-term use associated with renal and bone adverse effects	First-line therapy
Tenofovir alafenamide	Nucleotide analog prodrug	Improved renal and bone safety profile; High barrier to resistance	Relatively recent introduction; Higher cost compared to TDF	First-line therapy
JNJ-73763989 (JNJ-3989)	Small Interfering RNA	Target all HBV RNAs; Reduce HBV protein production	Rarely led to HBsAg seroclearance	Phase II

HBV: Hepatitis B virus.