Adefovir dipivoxil, a nucleotide analog of adenosine monophosphate, is an antiviral agent that suppresses hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication through inhibition of DNA polymerase and by chain termination. To determine the effectiveness of adefovir, three populations of patients with chronic hepatitis B patients were studied: hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive patients, HBeAg-negative patients, and patients with lamivudine-resistant tyrosine-methionine-asparate-aspartate (YMDD) mutants. All three groups of patients were treated for 48 weeks with adefovir 10 mg/d, and significant reduction in serum HBV DNA and normalization of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were noted. Significant improvement in liver histology was noted in HBeAg-positive and in HBeAg-negative patients. Significant HBeAg loss and HBeAg seroconversion rates were noted in HBeAg-positive patients and in lamivudine-resistant patients. No major drug-related side effects were noted. Adefovir 10 mg/d orally is safe and effective for treatment of chronic hepatitis B.