NEJM original articles

Background. Treatment with bepirovirsen, an antisense oligonucleotide targeting hepatitis B virus (HBV) transcripts, has the potential to result in a functional cure, defined by at least 24 weeks of a sustained HBV DNA level below the lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss after fixed-duration therapy.

Methods. In two replicate, double-blind trials (B-Well 1 and B-Well 2), we randomly assigned adults with noncirrhotic chronic HBV infection in a 2:1 ratio to receive subcutaneous bepirovirsen (at a weekly dose of 300 mg) or placebo for 24 weeks. All the patients were receiving stable nucleoside or nucleotide analogue (NA) therapy and had an HBsAg level of more than 100 to 3000 IU per milliliter. Eligible patients discontinued NA therapy at 48 weeks. The primary outcome was a functional cure at week 72.

Results. The percentage of patients with a functional cure at week 72 was significantly higher with bepirovirsen than with placebo both in the B-Well 1 trial (in 127 of 650 patients [20%] vs. none of 328 patients) and in the B-Well 2 trial (in 106 of 570 patients [19%] vs. none of 286 patients). In a pooled analysis at 72 weeks, adverse events were reported in 91% of the patients in the bepirovirsen groups and in 73% of those in the placebo groups; serious adverse events were reported in 7% and 4% of the patients, respectively. During the treatment period, adverse events of grade 3 or higher were reported in 16% of the patients who received bepirovirsen and in 3% of those who received placebo; increases in the alanine aminotransferase level were the most common grade 3 adverse events with bepirovirsen (in 6% of the patients).

Conclusions. In two phase 3 trials involving patients with chronic HBV infection, a functional cure after the discontinuation of NA therapy was reported in significantly more patients treated with bepirovirsen than in those who received placebo. (Funded by GSK; ClinicalTrials.gov numbers, NCT05630807 and NCT05630820.).

Background. Guidelines recommend a trial of antiarrhythmic drugs before catheter ablation for persistent atrial fibrillation. Whether pulsed field ablation (PFA) may be a preferred initial treatment is unclear.

Methods. We conducted an international, randomized trial involving patients with previously untreated persistent atrial fibrillation. The patients were randomly assigned in a 2:1 ratio to receive PFA performed with a pentaspline catheter or to receive antiarrhythmic-drug therapy. An additional group of patients (PFA-assigned) underwent PFA for the analysis of the primary safety end point alone. All the patients received an insertable cardiac monitor. The primary effectiveness end point was the short-term and long-term success of treatment through 12 months. Short-term success was defined as procedural success in the PFA group and the absence of ablation during the blanking period (90 days after treatment initiation) in the antiarrhythmic-drug group. Long-term success was defined as freedom from recurrence of atrial arrhythmias, repeat ablation, or need for antiarrhythmic drugs from 90 days through 12 months (in the PFA group) and freedom from amiodarone use at any time. The primary safety end point was device- and procedure-related serious adverse events.

Results. At 12 months, treatment success was observed in 128 of 207 patients (Kaplan-Meier estimate, 56%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 48 to 63) in the PFA group and in 40 of 103 patients (Kaplan-Meier estimate, 30%; 95% CI, 21 to 40) in the antiarrhythmic-drug group (hazard ratio for composite treatment failure [a lack of short- and long-term success], 0.46; 95% CI, 0.33 to 0.65; P<0.001). A primary safety end-point event occurred in 13 of 257 patients (5.1%) in the combined PFA group (both randomized and PFA-assigned groups). At 12 months, serious adverse events had occurred in 45 patients (25%) in the PFA group and in 20 patients (21%) in the antiarrhythmic-drug group.

Conclusions. Among patients with persistent atrial fibrillation, the risk of recurrence of atrial arrhythmia was significantly lower among those who received PFA as first-line treatment than among those who received antiarrhythmic-drug therapy. (Funded by Boston Scientific; AVANT GUARD ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT06096337.).

Background. Whether a hospital policy of tranexamic acid administration for patients undergoing major noncardiac surgery safely reduces the need for red-cell transfusion is uncertain.

Methods. We conducted a multicenter, double-blind, cluster-randomized, placebo-controlled trial involving patients undergoing noncardiac surgery who were at high risk for red-cell transfusion. Hospitals were randomly assigned at 4-week intervals to a hospital-wide policy of intraoperative tranexamic acid or placebo. The coprimary effectiveness and safety outcomes were transfusion of red cells during the index hospitalization and diagnosis of venous thromboembolism within 90 days, respectively. The safety outcome was assessed for noninferiority, with a prespecified noninferiority margin defined as an upper boundary of 1.46 for the 95% confidence interval of the relative risk. Analyses used mixed-effects models that accounted for the cluster-crossover design.

Results. A total of 8273 patients enrolled across 10 Canadian hospitals could be evaluated for the coprimary outcomes. Oncologic surgery accounted for 60.5% of the surgical procedures (5002 of 8273). The percentage of patients who received a red-cell transfusion during hospitalization was 7.4% (306 of 4156) in the tranexamic acid group and 9.8% (403 of 4117) in the placebo group (relative risk, 0.73; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.61 to 0.86; adjusted difference, -2.7 percentage points; 95% CI, -4.2 to -1.4). Venous thromboembolism within 90 days occurred in 2.1% of patients (86 of 4128) in the tranexamic acid group and 2.1% of patients (85 of 4052) in the placebo group (relative risk, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.65 to 1.38; adjusted difference, -0.1 percentage points; 95% CI, -0.9 to 0.7), which met the criterion for noninferiority.

Conclusions. Among patients undergoing major noncardiac surgery, a hospital policy of tranexamic acid administration resulted in a lower incidence of red-cell transfusion than placebo administration, and tranexamic acid was noninferior to placebo with regard to diagnosis of venous thromboembolism. (Funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and others; TRACTION ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04803747.).

Background. Safer, more effective treatment regimens for rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis are needed.

Methods. We conducted a phase 3, open-label, pragmatic, randomized, controlled noninferiority trial in South Africa to assess a 6-month treatment strategy for pulmonary rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis. Participants with pulmonary rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis who were 6 years of age or older were randomly assigned to a regimen consisting of bedaquiline, linezolid, delamanid, and levofloxacin or clofazimine or both for 6 months (trial-strategy group) or the 9-month standard-of-care treatment regimen that was current in South Africa (control group). Persons who were pregnant or breastfeeding and those who had fluoroquinolone-resistant tuberculosis were included in the trial population. Treatment in both groups was adjusted on the basis of results of second-line drug susceptibility testing. The primary efficacy end point was a successful outcome (cure or completion of treatment) at the end of treatment and at 76 weeks after randomization. The noninferiority margin was 10 percentage points. The primary safety end point was an adverse event of grade 3 or higher.

Results. Among the 432 persons who were screened, 403 underwent randomization; 203 were assigned to the trial-strategy group, and 200 to the control group. A successful outcome was observed in 174 of 202 participants (86.1%) in the trial-strategy group and in 172 of 200 (86.0%) in the control group. The adjusted risk difference was -0.2 percentage points (95% confidence interval [CI], -6.9 to 6.5; P = 0.001 for noninferiority). Adverse events of grade 3 or higher occurred during treatment in 63 of 202 participants (31.2%) in the trial-strategy group and in 74 of 200 (37.0%) in the control group; 10 participants in each group died.

Conclusions. Among participants in South Africa with rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis, the 6-month trial strategy was noninferior to the standard-of-care strategy with respect to a successful outcome. The safety profiles of the two strategies were similar. (Funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development and others; BEAT Tuberculosis ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04062201.).

Background. Anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is a standard treatment for relapsed or refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas. Long-term results and curative potential remain uncertain.

Methods. We evaluated long-term outcomes in 38 patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas (24 patients with large B-cell lymphoma and 14 with follicular lymphoma) who had been treated with CTL019 (now called tisagenlecleucel) - autologous T cells expressing CD19-directed, 4-1BB-costimulated chimeric receptors. Lymphoma-free survival was defined as the time from the tisagenlecleucel infusion to relapse or lymphoma-related death. The incidence of non-relapse-related death and second primary cancer was estimated with the Aalen-Johansen method. The data-cutoff date was October 1, 2025.

Results. At a median follow-up of 10.1 years (range, 7.9 to 11.5), no relapses had occurred beyond 5.4 years. The 10-year lymphoma-free survival was 32% (95% confidence interval [CI], 14 to 51) among patients with large B-cell lymphoma and 47% (95% CI, 20 to 71) among those with follicular lymphoma. In an analysis that included deaths from any cause, the 10-year progression-free survival was 17% (95% CI, 5 to 34) among patients with large B-cell lymphoma and 29% (95% CI, 9 to 52) among those with follicular lymphoma; the 10-year overall survival was 17% (95% CI, 5 to 34) and 50% (95% CI, 23 to 72), respectively. Persistent grade 2 or 3 neutropenia occurred in 2 patients (5%); no late anemia or thrombocytopenia was observed. A second primary cancer developed in 9 patients (10-year cumulative incidence, 21%). The 10-year non-relapse-related mortality was 18% (14% when deaths related to coronavirus disease 2019 were excluded). Higher CAR-transgene persistence appeared to be associated with long-term response. B-cell aplasia persisted in 44% of patients with a long-term response.

Conclusions. Among patients with heavily pretreated B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a single infusion of tisagenlecleucel led to decade-long remissions (lymphoma-free survival) in approximately one third of the patients with large B-cell lymphomas and in nearly one half of those with follicular lymphoma. (Funded by the Richard Berman Family Innovations Center in CLL and Lymphomas and others; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02030834.).