chronic hbv infection ≥ 6 months

hbsag ≥ 250 iu/ml

hbv treatment naïve

absence of extensive bridging fibrosis (metavir 3 or greater) or cirrhosis

creatinine clearance ≥ 70 ml/min

co-infection with hepatitis c virus (hcv), hepatitis d virus (hdv), or hiv

history of gilberts disease

laboratory parameters not within defined thresholds for leukopenia, neutropenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, thyroid-stimulating hormone (tsh), or other evidence of hepatic decompensation

diagnosis of autoimmune disease, poorly controlled diabetes mellitus, significant psychiatric illness, severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(copd), malignancy, hemoglobinopathy, retinal disease, or patients who are immunosuppressed

evidence of hepatocellular carcinoma