title: Peginterferon alfa-2a (40KD) (Pegasys) for the treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: Compared with conventional interferon alfa, peginterferon alfa-2a (40KD) has improved pharmacokinetics, provides sustained therapeutic plasma levels, and can be administered once weekly. In randomised, multinational trials, peginterferon alfa-2a (40KD) 180 microg once weekly was significantly more effective than three times weekly interferon alfa-2a in patients with chronic hepatitis C, including patients with cirrhosis. Peginterferon alfa-2a (40KD) and ribavirin 1000/1200 mg/day for 48 weeks produced significantly higher sustained responses than three times weekly interferon alfa-2b and ribavirin 1000/1200 mg/day in patients with chronic hepatitis C including those with HCV genotype 1, genotypes 2/3 and those with high or low viral loads at baseline. The drug is well tolerated when given alone or in combination with ribavirin. Health-related quality of life was significantly less impaired during treatment with peginterferon alfa-2a (40KD) than interferon alfa-2a in randomised trials. Peginterferon alfa-2a (40KD) is widely approved for use in patients with chronic hepatitis C.
authors.affiliation: University Clinic of Internal Medicine IV, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ferenci
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D011788:Quality of Life; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a