Interferon alfa 2b pegylated

Common Questions and Answers about Interferon alfa 2b pegylated

peg-intron

Two kinds of pegylated interferons are available -- peginterferon alfa-2a (also called alfa-2a) and peginterferon alfa-2b (also called alfa-2b). The main difference between these two pegylated interferons is in the dosing. Alfa-2a is used as a fixed weekly dose. Alfa-2b is used as a weekly dose based on the weight of the patient. There are other differences between the two drugs, but they are mostly technical and are used by the prescribing physician.

The treatment with most promising results is a combination of pegylated interferon alfa (Pegasys, PEG-Intron) and the antiviral drug, ribavirin. Interferon alfa is a protein which the human body produces naturally as a defense response to viral infections. Pegylation describes a chemical process that makes the interferon last longer in the body. Interferon increases the potency of ribavirin in the treatment of HCV.

Ribavirin combined with interferon alfa-2b, interferon alfacon-1 (Infergen), pegylated interferon alfa-2b, or pegylated interferon alpha-2a, all are approved for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C. Interferon beta-1b (Betaseron) and interferon beta-1a (Avonex) are approved for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. Interferon alfa-n3 (Alferon-N) is approved for the treatment of genital and perianal warts caused by human papillomavirus (HPV).

As reported in the August 2008 issue of Hepatology, Stephen Zeuzem and an international team of colleagues conducted an open-label Phase 2 study in which 458 treatment-naive patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C were randomly assigned to receive either standard therapy with 180 mcg once-weekly pegylated interferon alfa-2a (Pegasys) or else albumin interferon alfa-2b at doses of 900 or 1200 mcg once every 2 weeks or 1200 mcg once every 4 weeks for 48 weeks.

Pegasys is a brand name for Peginterferon alfa-2a or Pegylated interferon alfa-2a which is an antiviral drug made by La Roche. It is given by injection. It is used in combination with another medication called Ribavirin (a pill), and a third medication, either Victrellis or Incivek, which are both pills, to treat Hepatitis C. Let us know if you have further questions.

In a Phase 2b study with pegylated interferon and ribavirin, Pharmasset's PSI-7977 had a 100 percent success rate against Hepatitis C genotypes 2 and 3.

Overall, 49% of patients discontinued their medication before the end of the four-year study, with 36% due to failure to comply and 13% due to side effects. Peginterferon alfa-2b was generally well tolerated. Among patients who discontinued due to interferon side effects (17.1%, 49/286), the most common reason (45%, 22/49 patients) was general intolerance to interferon (e.g., due to flu-like symptoms, malaise, and other common interferon side effects).

The products in question are Temodar (temozolomide) for brain cancer and hepatitis C and cancer drugs PegIntron (pegylated interferon alfa-2b) and Intron A (interferon alfa-2b), according to Merck's just-published quarterly report. All three of the drugs were acquired when Merck bought Schering-Plough in 2009.

About 30% of all the drugs we take are metabolized by the CYP 3a, and so are the Protease inhibitors. The interferon is an inhibitor also (in fact, the reason many hepatitis patients need stronger doses prior to and during tx, of many meds is because of natural interferon, (any viral infection raises interferon levels,) inhibiting the way all drugs are then metabolized. The Interferon making the system more sluggish as it concerns other activities.

http://www.nature.com/eye/journal/v17/n4/full/6700391a.html "INF-alpha therapy has been known to cause a variety of ocular lesions.1,2 Typical lesions include cottonwool spots and retinal haemorrhages at the posterior fundus, particularly around the optic disc, secondary to retinal ischaemia, which usually appear within 3 months of the onset of therapy.

Ribavirin dosage normally is weight based, with a normal maximum of 12,000 (6 pills) a day. I weigh 144 lbs, so I started out at 1,000 mg a day, 3 in the morning and 2 at night. The doctor may do a lot of adjustments during the treatment also. Here is some info: http://www.drugs.com/dosage/ribavirin.

Recommended