 - Patients with chronic hepatitis B are eligible as long as they have evidence of ongoing viral replication detectable hepatitis B surface antigen HBsAg, hepatitis B envelope antigen HBeAg, or hepatitis B virus HBV deoxyribonucleic acid DNA; they must have HBV DNA viral load 100 IUmL at screening; in addition, they must be on antiviral therapy per regional standard of care guidelines prior to initiation of study therapy; if not on antiviral therapy at screening, then the subject must initiate treatment per regional standard of care guidelines at the time of consent; both HBeAg positive and negative patients will be included 