Pilot study of interferon gamma for chronic hepatitis C

• Published in: Journal of hepatology 2005-07, Vol.43 (1), p.67-71
• Main Authors: Soza, Alejandro, Heller, Theo, Ghany, Marc, Lutchman, Glen, Jake Liang, T., Germain, June, Hsu, Henry H., Park, Yoon, Hoofnagle, Jay H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents; Antiviral agents; Antiviral Agents - administration & dosage; Antiviral Agents - adverse effects; Antiviral Agents - therapeutic use; Antiviral therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Cell Count; Bone marrow suppression; Cytokines; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Resistance, Viral; Female; Genotype; Hepacivirus - drug effects; Hepacivirus - genetics; Hepacivirus - physiology; Hepatitis C, Chronic - blood; Hepatitis C, Chronic - drug therapy; Hepatitis C, Chronic - virology; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Interferon alfa; Interferon gamma; Interferon-alpha - therapeutic use; Interferon-gamma - administration & dosage; Interferon-gamma - adverse effects; Interferon-gamma - therapeutic use; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Pilot Projects; Recurrence; Ribavirin - therapeutic use; RNA, Viral - blood; Transaminases - blood; Treatment Failure; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the digestive system; Viral hepatitis; Viral kinetics
• ISSN: 0168-8278; 1600-0641
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2005.02.023

Currently, there are no effective therapies available for patients with chronic hepatitis C who have failed to respond to optimal interferon alfa-based regimens. The aims of this pilot study were to assess the antiviral activity and safety of interferon gamma in chronic hepatitis C. Patients with chronic hepatitis C, genotype 1, who had not responded to or who had relapsed after therapy with interferon alfa and ribavirin were enrolled in a trial of interferon gamma 1b given in doses of 100, 200 or 400 μg subcutaneously three times weekly for 4 weeks. Frequent blood samples were obtained for HCV RNA levels. Fourteen patients were enrolled. Geometric mean HCV RNA levels remained unchanged. Serum aminotransferase levels also did not change, while there were significant decreases in neutrophil counts (−41% from baseline) and hematocrit (−5%). Low grade fever and malaise were common with the first injection of interferon gamma, but no serious side effects were encountered. Although relatively well tolerated, interferon gamma in doses of 100–400 μg thrice weekly had no effect on HCV RNA levels in patients with chronic hepatitis C who had failed to achieve a sustained response to interferon alfa-based therapies.