Peginterferon alfa

Peginterferon alfa
Clinical data
AHFS/Drugs.com	Consumer Drug Information
MedlinePlus	a605029
Pregnancy; category	C (mono therapy), X (combination therapy with ribavirin);
Routes of; administration	subcutaneous
ATC code	L03AB11 (WHO) ; L03AB61 (WHO) (in combinations);
Legal status
Legal status	In general: ℞ (Prescription only);
Identifiers
CAS Number	215647-85-1 ;
DrugBank	DB00008 ;
ChemSpider	NA ;
UNII	Q46947FE7K;
KEGG	D02748 ;
ChEMBL	ChEMBL1201560 ;
E number	{{#property:P628}}
ECHA InfoCard	{{#property:P2566}}Lua error in Module:EditAtWikidata at line 36: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
Chemical and physical data
Formula	C860H1353N227O255S9
Molar mass	19241 g/mol (unpegylated); 40000 g/mol (pegylated)
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Alonso Alvarado, M.D. [2]

Overview

Pegylated interferon alfa-2a (pegylated with a branched 40 kDa PEG chain; commercial name Pegasys) is an antiviral drug discovered at the pharmaceutical company F. Hoffmann-La Roche; it has a dual mode of action - both antiviral and on the immune system. The addition of polyethylene glycol to the interferon, through a process known as pegylation, enhances the half-life of the interferon when compared to its native form.

It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, a list of the most important medication needed in a basic health system.^[1]

Medical uses

This drug is approved around the world for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C (including patients with HIV co-infection, cirrhosis, 'normal' levels of ALT) and has recently been approved (in the EU, U.S., China and many other countries) for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B.

Peginterferon alfa-2a is a long acting interferon. Interferons are proteins released in the body in response to viral infections. Interferons are important for fighting viruses in the body, for regulating reproduction of cells, and for regulating the immune system.^{[citation needed]}

Host genetic factors influencing treatment response

For genotype 1 hepatitis C treated with pegylated interferon-alpha-2a or pegylated interferon-alpha-2b (brand names Pegasys or PEG-Intron) combined with ribavirin, it has been shown that genetic polymorphisms near the human IL28B gene, encoding interferon lambda 3, are associated with significant differences in response to the treatment. This finding, originally reported in Nature,^[2] showed genotype 1 hepatitis C patients carrying certain genetic variant alleles near the IL28B gene are more likely to achieve sustained virological response after the treatment than others. Later report from Nature ^[3] demonstrated the same genetic variants are also associated with the natural clearance of the genotype 1 hepatitis C virus.

References

↑ "WHO Model List of EssentialMedicines" (PDF). World Health Organization. October 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
↑ Ge D, Fellay J, Thompson AJ; et al. (2009). "Genetic variation in IL28B predicts hepatitis C treatment-induced viral clearance". Nature. 461 (7262): 399–401. doi:10.1038/nature08309. PMID 19684573.
↑ Thomas DL, Thio CL, Martin MP; et al. (2009). "Genetic variation in IL28B and spontaneous clearance of hepatitis C virus". Nature. 461 (7265): 798–801. doi:10.1038/nature08463. PMC 3172006. PMID 19759533.

[1] "WHO Model List of EssentialMedicines" (PDF). World Health Organization. October 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2014.

[2] Ge D, Fellay J, Thompson AJ; et al. (2009). "Genetic variation in IL28B predicts hepatitis C treatment-induced viral clearance". Nature. 461 (7262): 399–401. doi:10.1038/nature08309. PMID 19684573.

[3] Thomas DL, Thio CL, Martin MP; et al. (2009). "Genetic variation in IL28B and spontaneous clearance of hepatitis C virus". Nature. 461 (7265): 798–801. doi:10.1038/nature08463. PMC 3172006. PMID 19759533.

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Peginterferon alfa

Overview

Medical uses

Host genetic factors influencing treatment response

References

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