Peginterferon alfa-2a

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Peginterferon alfa-2a
Clinical data
AHFS/Drugs.com Consumer Drug Information
MedlinePlus a605029
Pregnancy
category
  • C (mono therapy), X (combination therapy with ribavirin)
Legal status
  • ℞ (Prescription only)
Routes of
administration		 subcutaneous
Identifiers
CAS Number 215647-85-1 N
ATC code L03AB11 (WHO)
L03AB61 (in combinations)
DrugBank DB00008 YesY
UNII Q46947FE7K N
KEGG D02748 YesY
ChEMBL CHEMBL1201560 N
Chemical data
Formula C860H1353N227O255S9
Molecular mass 19241 g/mol (unpegylated)
40000 g/mol (pegylated)
 NYesY (what is this?)  (verify)

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. Another report in Nature [3] demonstrated the same genetic variants are also associated with the natural clearance of the genotype 1 hepatitis C virus.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links


<templatestyles src="Asbox/styles.css"></templatestyles>

Stub icon

This antiinfective drug article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

<templatestyles src="Asbox/styles.css"></templatestyles>

Stub icon

This antineoplastic or immunomodulatory drug article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
Retrieved from "https://infogalactic.com/w/index.php?title=Peginterferon_alfa-2a&oldid=827943"