Triple combination of thymalfasin, peginterferon alfa-2a and ribavirin in patients with chronic hepatitis C who have failed prior interferon and ribavirin treatment: 24-week interim results of a pilot study.
Despite steady progress in antiviral treatment for patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV), many patients still have detectable serum HCV RNA levels by the end of interferon-based treatment and are known as virological non-responders. Re-treatment of these patients not responding to previous therapy remains challenging. Studies of the dynamics of the HCV population show a marked decline in new cases since 1996; however, the relative proportion of non-responders is expected to increase over time and, similarly, the number of patients eligible for first-line treatment is expected to decrease. The current standard of care for treatment involves the use of pegylated interferons in combination with ribavirin. However, many difficult-to-treat groups still have low response rates. Newer combinations are being investigated to optimize chances of attaining a sustained response in these groups: one such triple therapy regimen is peginterferon alfa-2a, ribavirin and thymalfasin, which was given to 23 previously non-responder patients. Viral response was 60.8% at week 12 and 47.8% at week 24. These preliminary results encourage further evaluation of this promising combination.
Poo
Jorge Luis
JL
Centro de Investigacion Farmacológica y Biotecnológica, Medica Sur Hospital and Clinical Foundation, Mexico City, Mexico. jpoo@medicasur.org.mx
Sánchez-Avila
F
F
Kershenobich
D
D
García-Samper
X
X
Gongora
J
J
Uribe
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077596:Thymalfasin; D013947:Thymosin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013997:Time Factors; D017211:Treatment Failure; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; D013947:Thymosin; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a; D000077596:Thymalfasin