Interferon News and Research

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Treatment of chronic hepatitis C with interferon can be ineffective due to relapse

Treatment of chronic hepatitis C with interferon can be ineffective due to relapse. We aimed to reduce the 40% relapse rate of 6 months interferon–ribavirin combination therapy by prolonging treatment to 18 months.

4 Jul 2004

50,000 people in the U.S. with cancer, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis or hepatitis C will be eligible for a Medicare drug lottery

50,000 people or 10% of the 500,000 people in the U.S with cancer, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis or hepatitis C will be eligible for a Medicare drug lottery for coverage of life saving drugs.

26 Jun 2004

Better understanding of Tamoxifen and how breast cancer patients develop resistance

A new study by researchers at Georgetown’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center may have implications for the thousands of breast cancer patients who develop resistance to antiestrogen drugs such as Tamoxifen®. The work is published in the June 1 issue of Cancer Research.

11 Jun 2004

Discovery could pave the way to smallpox Immunity

A team of scientists led by a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) international research scholar has discovered the immune system mechanism that causes some mice to be more susceptible to mousepox than others.

9 Jun 2004

Breakthrough could help protect against the use of smallpox by terrorists

Researchers at the ANU John Curtin School of Medical Research have identified proteins that determine which mice succumb to mousepox and which do not. The new insights into the immune response of mice to the mousepox virus could enable scientists to improve treatment for poxvirus infections, including smallpox.

9 Jun 2004

Multi-targeted anticancer drug shows promise as treatment for metastatic renal cell cancer

A new multi-targeted anticancer drug called SU11248 has shown very promising results in the treatment for metastatic renal cell cancer, one of the most chemotherapy resistant of all cancers.

6 Jun 2004

Treatment helps 26% of black Americans with chronic hepatitis C

Twenty-six percent (26%) of black Americans (BA) with chronic hepatitis C who received treatment with Pegasys plus Copegus (peginterferon alfa-2a plus ribavirin) achieved a sustained virological response (SVR), according to study results published in the June 2004 issue of Hepatology.

1 Jun 2004

New study challenges current thinking about varied response to hepatitis C treatment in different racial groups

Results of a new study published in the current issue of the New England Journal of Medicine show that in patients who have chronic hepatitis C, genotype 1 -- the most common form of the disease and difficult to treat successfully -- non-Hispanic whites achieved one of the highest response rates reported to date, but response rates in African Americans were significantly lower.

27 May 2004

Human Genome Sciences has begun dosing patients with chronic hep C drug

Human Genome Sciences, Inc. announced today that it has begun dosing patients in a Phase 2 clinical trial of Albuferon™ (albumin-interferon alpha) in patients with chronic hepatitis C who are naïve to interferon-alpha treatments.

27 May 2004

Possible new second-generation multiple sclerosis therapy

Scientists from Genencor International, Inc., have demonstrated in an in vivo model that a new variant of recombinant interferon-beta reduces the immunological response to the protein.

25 May 2004

Trial shows Daclizumab therapy improves multiple sclerosis outcome

A small clinical trial of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) who did not respond to interferon alone found that adding the human antibody daclizumab improved patient outcome. Patients who received the combined therapy had a 78 percent reduction in new brain lesions and a 70 percent reduction in total lesions, along with other significant clinical improvements.

24 May 2004

Largest study comparing leading hepatitis C treatments

Medical centers, hospitals, clinics and other treatment sites across the country are actively enrolling Americans with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) in a nationwide study that will for the first time determine which of the two FDA-approved pegylated interferon therapy regimens offers patients the best chance to eliminate the virus.

14 May 2004

Serono says Rebif an effective treatment for brain lesions

New long-term data support the importance of early treatment with high dose, high frequency Rebif® (interferon beta-1a) 44 mcg in reducing the long-term accumulation of brain lesion volume in patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (MS).

28 Apr 2004

Schering-Plough submits Japanese application for hepatitis C drug

Schering-Plough Corporation has announced that Schering-Plough K.K., the company's subsidiary in Japan, has submitted a New Drug Application (J-NDA) to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) seeking marketing approval for PEG-INTRON(R) (peginterferon alfa-2b) Powder for Injection for use in combination with REBETOL(R) (ribavirin) Capsules for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C.

22 Apr 2004

Oral treatment of chronic hepatitis C

Valeant Pharmaceuticals today presented 24-week data from Phase 2 clinical trials of Viramidine, a nucleoside (guanosine) analog Valeant is developing in oral form for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C (HCV) in conjunction with a pegylated interferon.

17 Apr 2004

New diagnostic test for latent tuberculosis introduced

The Tuberculin skin test, used to detect latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, has many drawbacks and a new diagnostic test for latent tuberculosis (QuantiFERON®-TB) has recently been introduced.

17 Apr 2004

Daycare and siblings increase likelihood of contracting respiratory syncytial virus and rhinovirus

Daycare attendance and siblings are associated with viral-induced wheezing in children. Pre-existing immunologic factors may influence the expression of viral infections in infancy, and in turn, recurrent infections may influence the development of immune responses.

17 Apr 2004

New insights into how tumors neutralize CD8 T cells

Scientists have speculated that this may be because the immune response is not strong enough, or because it does not last long enough to have an effect. Hence the increasing efforts to develop cancer vaccines that induce, strengthen, and increase the duration of immunological attack against cancer cells.

16 Apr 2004

Launch of thin needle syringe for multiple sclerosis treatment

A study conducted in Denmark showed that 86% of Rebif®-treated patients found that injections were easier and less painful using the new needle. The pre-filled syringe of Rebif® with the new needle is available in the same dosages as the previous version and will continue to carry the same indication. It is currently being launched in Europe and will be available worldwide by the end of 2004.

31 Mar 2004

Researchers find new purpose for existing drugs to suppress colon cancer metastasis, secure post-radiation brain function, and trick tumors

Drugs approved for treatment of specific maladies sometimes show unexpected benefits. Researchers at the 95th annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research demonstrated highlighted how some drugs may one day offer previously unforeseen benefits for patients.

30 Mar 2004