Charakteristik und Studienergebnisse des Consensus Interferons

Zusammenfassung

Consensus Interferon ist ein natürlich nicht vorkommendes Interferon, welches auf der Basis der jeweils am häufigsten vorkommenden Aminosäure in natürlichen Interferonen zusammengestellt wurde. Es besitzt im Vergleich zu anderen Interferonen eine höhere Rezeptoraffinität und höhere Potenz der Hemmung der Virusreplikation. Die Zulassungsstudien zur Therapie der Virushepatitis C zeigten auch klinisch eine stärkere Hemmung der Viruslast sowie eine stärkere Effektivität bei der Behandlung von Relaps und Nonresponder Patienten. Aktuelle klinische Studien bei Hepatitis C Patienten zeigen insbesondere bei Genotyp 1 Patienten sowie Nonresponder Patienten sehr vielversprechende virologische Ansprechdaten, wobei die Viruseliminationsraten noch abgewartet werden müssen. Viruskinetische Analysen weisen darauf hin, dass die relativ hohe Effektivität des Consensus Interferons insbesondere bei täglicher Gabe wahrscheinlich zu einem erheblichen Teil auf der sehr starken Hemmung der Virionenproduktion zu Beginn der Therapie beruhen dürfte.

Abstract

Consensus Interferon is a naturally not occurring interferon, which was constructed on the basis of the most frequent amino acid observed at each position in naturally occurring interferons. This interferon shows higher receptor affinity and inhibitory effects on viral replication under in vitro conditions than any other interferon. Initial clinical studies with therapy of hepatitis C patients using consensus interferon as monotherapy showed a stronger repression of viral load as well as a greater efficacy especially in relapse and nonresponder patients when compared to interferon a2b. Clinical studies currently under way using consensus interferon in combination with ribavirin show significantly higher response rates in genotype 1 and nonresponder patients, however, sustained response rates still have to be awaited. Analysis of viral kinetics of the initial 4 weeks of therapy point to a greater potency of consensus interferon in blocking virion production, especially when given on a daily basis, which may in part explain the observed clinical effects.

Schlüsselwörter

Consensus Interferon - Rezeptoraffinität - Viruskinetik - Nonresponder Patienten - Genotyp 1 Patienten

Key words

Consensus Interferon - Receptor Affinity - Viral Kinetics - Nonresponder Patients - Genotype 1 Patients

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