title: Treatment of chronic hepatitis C with interferon alfa-n3: a multicenter, randomized, open-label trial.
abstract: We studied the antiviral effectiveness and safety of interferon alfa-n3, a natural alpha interferon which contains multiple interferon species, in the treatment of previously untreated patients with chronic hepatitis C. Seventy-seven patients were randomized to receive either 1.0, 2.5, 5.0, or 10.0 million units (MU) of interferon alfa-n3 three times a week for 24 weeks and were then followed for an additional 24 weeks. At the end of therapy, 67% of patients in the 10 MU group normalized serum alanine transaminase (ALT) levels and 59% had no hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA detected by polymerase chain reaction. At the end of the follow-up period, 44% of patients in the 10 MU group maintained normal ALT, and 24% had nondetectable HCV RNA. Lower doses were much less effective. Interferon alfa-n3 was well tolerated and no patient developed neutralizing anti-interferon antibodies during or after the treatment period. Interferon alfa-n3 appears to be effective against hepatitis C virus and deserves further study in larger randomized controlled trials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Koff
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Regenstein
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Everson
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Weiner
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Silverman
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Plasse
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fedorczyk
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Liao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases