PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- High dose
consensus interferon eliminated hepatitis C virus in the majority
of infected patients who had never been treated before. In 73
percent of these patients, high dose consensus interferon given
five times a week eliminated the virus, a response rate that is
better than that achieved with Rebetron combination therapy and
with less serious side effects. Many physicians now recognize that
high doses of interferon given daily can lead to better results.
"We have collected a lot of three month data, and even though
the study is in its infancy, we're very excited," says Dr. Carl
Jones, gastroenterology fellow at Allegheny General Hospital,
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Dr. Jones discussed results of this
ongoing study at the 49th Annual Meeting of the American
Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), held in
Chicago November 6-10.
"When you look only at patients with highly resistant virus
types that are taking the drug three times a week, only 27 percent
test negative for the virus, but of those taking the drug five
times a week, 62-percent are negative by the end of month
three.
"The sustained response rates for patients with resistant virus
types are very dismal, especially when using monotherapy with
interferons," notes Jones, referring to the standard doses of
interferons often used. "Patients with more resistant disease
typically show a sustained response rate of only five to ten
percent when they are treated with conventional interferon alfa
(Intron A) dosing. Combination therapy (Intron A plus ribavirin)
shows a little more promise, but even the best data show a
21-percent sustained response rate in these patients."
In June, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved
Schering-Plough's combination therapy (sold as Rebetron) for use in
patients who had been treated with conventional interferon but had
suffered a relapse. On December 9, the FDA broadened its approval
of Rebetron for use in previously untreated patients.
A major side effect of combination therapy, attributable to the
ribavirin in the combination, is hemolytic anemia. However, Dr.
Jones says this side effect does not occur with high dose
monotherapy using consensus interferon, sold as Infergen by
Amgen.
"You don't have to worry about the hemolytic profile, and it
seems to be more tolerable. We were involved in the trial with
combination therapy, and we had a lot of dropouts due to hemolytic
anemia and such side effects as flu-like symptoms. We're not seeing
that with the higher doses of consensus interferon and it appears
to be just as efficacious as combination therapy," he says.
Reports and interviews with Dr. Jones and other presenters at
the 49th Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study
of Liver Diseases are now available on the web in text, audio, and
printable formats at the Highlights in Liver Disease web site:
http://www.highlights.wellweb.com.
SOURCE Patients NewsWire CO: Patients NewsWire ST:
Pennsylvania IN: MTC HEA PUB SU: 12/21/98 12:24 EST
http://www.prnewswire.com
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