Inclusion Criteria:

• HBsAg positive and anti-HBs negative for more than 6 months
• HBeAg positive
• HBV DNA titer more than 100,000 IU/mL
• serum ALT more than upper normal limit value, but no more than 10 times upper normal limit value

Exclusion Criteria:

• the history of antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis B within the recent 6 months
• HAV IgM Ab + and/or HCV Ab + and/or HDV Ab and/or HIV Ab +
• the sign of decompensated liver disease
• the history of hemoglobinopathy, autoimmune hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease
• pregnant or lactating woman
• neutrophil count less than 1,500/mm3 or platelet count less than 90,000/mm3
• serum creatinine more than 1.5 times upper normal limit value
• the sign of alcoholic or drug addiction within the recent 1 year
• the history of psychotic disorder especially like depression
• immunologically mediated disease
• the history of esophageal varix
• the history of severe heart disease or respiratory disease
• the history of severe epilepsy or current use of antiepileptic drug
• the sign of malignancy or suggestive of malignancy or the history of malignancy, the recurrence rate within 2 years of which is more than 20%
• the history of systemic anticancer treatment including radiation therapy or immunotherapy including systemic corticosteroid
• the history of major organ transplantation
• the history of medically uncontrolled thyroid disease
• the history or sign of severe retinopathy