Triple combination of thymalfasin, peginterferon alfa-2a and ribavirin in patients with chronic hepatitis C who have failed prior interferon and ribavirin treatment: 24-week interim results of a pilot study

J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2004 Dec;19(12):S79-81.

Abstract

Despite steady progress in antiviral treatment for patients with chronic hepatitis C virus(HCV), many patients still have detectable serum HCV RNA levels by the end of interferon-based treatment and are known as virological non-responders. Re-treatment of these patients not responding to previous therapy remains challenging. Studies of the dynamics of the HCV population show a marked decline in new cases since 1996; however, the relative proportion of non-responders is expected to increase over time and, similarly, the number of patients eligible for first-line treatment is expected to decrease. The current standard of care for treatment involves the use of pegylated interferons in combination with ribavirin. However, many difficult-to-treat groups still have low response rates. Newer combinations are being investigated to optimize chances of attaining a sustained response in these groups: one such triple therapy regimen is peginterferon alfa-2a, ribavirin and thymalfasin, which was given to 23 previously non-responder patients. Viral response was 60.8% at week 12 and 47.8% at week 24. These preliminary results encourage further evaluation of this promising combination.

MeSH terms

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic / administration & dosage*
  • Antiviral Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / drug therapy*
  • Humans
  • Interferon alpha-2
  • Interferon-alpha / administration & dosage*
  • Interferons / administration & dosage
  • Pilot Projects
  • Polyethylene Glycols / administration & dosage*
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Ribavirin / administration & dosage*
  • Thymalfasin
  • Thymosin / administration & dosage*
  • Thymosin / analogs & derivatives*
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Failure

Substances

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic
  • Antiviral Agents
  • Interferon alpha-2
  • Interferon-alpha
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Polyethylene Glycols
  • Ribavirin
  • Thymosin
  • Interferons
  • peginterferon alfa-2a
  • Thymalfasin