Thymalfasin for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C infection

Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2007 Sep:1112:357-67. doi: 10.1196/annals.1415.034. Epub 2007 Jun 28.

Abstract

The purpose of this review article is to examine previous and ongoing studies of thymalfasin in combination with peginterferon-alpha2a and peginterferon-alpha2a plus ribavirin in difficult-to-treat hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients. The following studies will be reviewed in detail: (1) Sherman and colleagues conducted a study in 109 HCV RNA positive HVC patients comparing the combination of thymalfasin + IFN versus IFN alone versus placebo. (2) Rustgi et al. evaluated the efficacy and safety of thymalfasin and peg-IFN-alpha2a in 31 genotype 1, high viral load, HCV nonresponders in a 12-week viral kinetic study. (3) Di Bisceglie, Sherman et al. performed a study of previous HCV nonresponders being retreated with either peginterferon-alpha2a plus thymalfasin or peginterferon-alpha2a plus placebo. (4) Poo and colleagues in Mexico evaluated triple combination therapy using thymalfasin, peginterferon-alpha2a, and ribavirin for the treatment of Hispanic HCV nonresponders.

MeSH terms

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic / adverse effects
  • Adjuvants, Immunologic / therapeutic use*
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / drug therapy*
  • Humans
  • Interferon alpha-2
  • Interferon-alpha / therapeutic use
  • Polyethylene Glycols / therapeutic use
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Ribavirin / therapeutic use
  • Thymalfasin
  • Thymosin / adverse effects
  • Thymosin / analogs & derivatives*
  • Thymosin / therapeutic use

Substances

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