The efficacy and safety of a daily dose of 0.25 mg/ kg to 10 mg adefovir dipivoxil in children (aged from 2 to < 18 years) was examined in a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled study in 173 paediatric patients (115 on adefovir dipivoxil, 58 on placebo) who had HBeAg positive chronic hepatitis B, serum ALT levels ≥ 1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN) and compensated liver disease.