A Clinical Trial of Zutectra in Patients Who Recently Received a Liver Transplant (ZEUS)

Patients who receive liver transplantation for hepatitis B virus (HBV) induced liver failure require longterm therapy to prevent HBV reinfection of the transplanted liver. The approved preventative treatment is a combination of antihepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIg) and oral antiviral medication. In the first 6 months after liver transplantation, patients receive treatment with intravenous HBIg to maintain blood antihepatitis B (antiHBs)antibody concentrations above 100 IU/L, the level considered safe for preventing hepatitis B reinfection.

Zutectra is an HBIg preparation for subcutaneous injection that is approved in the EU for the 'prevention of HBV reinfection in HBV DNA negative patients ≥ 6 months after liver transplantation for hepatitis B induced liver failure'. The purpose of this study is to show that earlier subcutaneous HBIg treatment with Zutectra after liver transplantation can prevent hepatitis B reinfection.

Treatment with subcutaneous HBIg (Zutectra) at home is manageable for the majority of patients and is more convenient for patients compared to intravenous treatment that must take place in the hospital setting.

Fourty patients will take part in the study at approximately 19 centres in UK, France, Italy and Spain. Patients who are eligible for the study will receive treatment with Zutectra for 24 weeks.

During the study, the safety and effectiveness of Zutectra will be assessed by checking for symptoms of hepatitis B related infection, as well as monitoring blood levels of antiHBs antibodies and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg).


Study Type: Interventional
Endpoint Classification: Safety/Efficacy Study
Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: Open Label
Primary Purpose: Prevention
Official Title: An Open, Prospective, Single Arm Study Investigating Efficacy and Safety of Human Hepatitis B Immunoglobulin Zutectra in Liver Transplanted Patients - the ZEUS Study
Enrollment: 49
Study Start Date: December 2012
Study Completion Date: September 2014
Primary Completion Date: September 2014 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)

Arms:
- Experimental: Zutectra