Thymalfasin for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C infection.
The purpose of this review article is to examine previous and ongoing studies of thymalfasin in combination with peginterferon-alpha2a and peginterferon-alpha2a plus ribavirin in difficult-to-treat hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients. The following studies will be reviewed in detail: (1) Sherman and colleagues conducted a study in 109 HCV RNA positive HVC patients comparing the combination of thymalfasin + IFN versus IFN alone versus placebo. (2) Rustgi et al. evaluated the efficacy and safety of thymalfasin and peg-IFN-alpha2a in 31 genotype 1, high viral load, HCV nonresponders in a 12-week viral kinetic study. (3) Di Bisceglie, Sherman et al. performed a study of previous HCV nonresponders being retreated with either peginterferon-alpha2a plus thymalfasin or peginterferon-alpha2a plus placebo. (4) Poo and colleagues in Mexico evaluated triple combination therapy using thymalfasin, peginterferon-alpha2a, and ribavirin for the treatment of Hispanic HCV nonresponders.
Rustgi
Vinod K
VK
Department of Medicine and Surgery, Georgetown University Medical Center, 8316 Arlington Blvd., Ste 515, Fairfax, VA 22031, USA. hepgi@aol.com
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077596:Thymalfasin; D013947:Thymosin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; D013947:Thymosin; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a; D000077596:Thymalfasin