Optimal dosing frequency of pegylated interferon alfa-2b monotherapy for chronic hepatitis C virus infection.

Background & Aims: Pegylated interferon alfa-2b (PEG-IFN-alfa 2b ) has been shown to provide superior efficacy to IFN-alfa 2b in patients with chronic hepatitis C (predominantly genotype 1) infection as measured by viral clearance. This study was conducted to determine the optimal dosing regimen of PEG-IFN-alfa 2b required to obtain a maximum decrease of hepatitis C viral RNA.

Methods: This was a 24-week, open-label, multicenter, parallel-group, randomized, active-controlled trial in the United Kingdom, France, and Israel.

Perforin expression in T cells and virological response to PEG-interferon alpha2b in HIV-1 infection.

Objective And Design: Interferon alpha (IFNalpha), which is known to directly inhibit the HIV-1 replicative cycle and to increase the activity of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL), is being tested as an anti-HIV agent. As CTL play a major role in immune defence against HIV, we wanted to further characterize CTL activity and the effect of IFNalpha on it.

Methods: We followed by flow cytometry the intracellular expression of the key mediator of cytotoxicity, perforin, in peripheral blood T cells of patients treated with IFNalpha.

Interferon-alpha restores HIV-induced alteration of natural killer cell perforin expression in vivo.

Objective: The percentage and the activity of natural killer (NK) cells are known to be decreased in HIV-infected patients. However, the mechanisms responsible for this NK deficiency are poorly understood. Because of the role of NK cells in the host defence against microbial infections, this defect contributes to the virus-induced immune deficiency.

Pharmacokinetics of plasma enfuvirtide after subcutaneous administration to patients with human immunodeficiency virus: Inverse Gaussian density absorption and 2-compartment disposition.

Objective: Enfuvirtide (T-20) is the first of a novel class of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) drugs that block gp41-mediated viral fusion to host cells. The objectives of this study were to develop a structural pharmacokinetic model that would adequately characterize the absorption and disposition of enfuvirtide pharmacokinetics after both intravenous and subcutaneous administration and to evaluate the dose proportionality of enfuvirtide pharmacokinetic parameters at a subcutaneous dose higher than that currently used in phase III studies.

Methods: Twelve patients with HIV infection received 4 single doses of enfuvirtide separated by a 1-week washout period in an open-label, randomized, 4-way crossover fashion.

Necrotizing cutaneous lesions complicating treatment with pegylated-interferon alfa in an HIV-infected patient.

Pegylated interferon alfa is a pegylated formulation of recombinant human interferon (IFN) conjugated with polyethylene-glycol (PEG). The major advantages of this formulation, compared to standard IFN, is a prolonged half-life which allows for once-weekly injection. Its antiviral efficacy in association with ribavirin as a new standard treatment of chronic hepatitis C has been recently documented.