what s interferon treatment

Interferon-alfa2b Treatment for Melanoma

• Interferon-alfa2b. Also called interferon-alpha2b, IFN and Intron A, Interferon-alfa2b was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1995.
• Evidence for the Effectiveness of Interferon-alfa2b. ...
• Use of Interferon-alfa2b. ...
• Potential Side Effects of Interferon-alfa2b. ...
• Interactions. ...

Full Answer

What are the side effects of interferon therapy?

Interferon-alpha treats viral infections, including: Chronic hepatitis C, hairy cell leukemia, Kaposi sarcoma caused by AIDS, chronic myelogenous leukemia …

Why would interferon be used as a cancer treatment?

Feb 01, 2022 · What diseases can interferon treat? Interferon has been used to treat many diseases, including: hepatitis C; hepatitis B; human papillomavirus (HPV) health problems; multiple sclerosis (MS) melanoma and other cancers; AIDS-related Kaposi’s sarcoma; certain forms of leukemia; How can interferon affect the retina? Interferon medicine can cause …

What are the different types of interferon treatment?

Interferon-alpha2a reduces MRI disease activity in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Norwegian Study Group on Interferon-alpha in Multiple Sclerosis. Myhr KM, Riise T, Green Lilleås FE, Beiske TG, Celius EG, Edland A, Jensen D, Larsen JP, Nilsen R, Nortvedt MW, Smievoll AI, Vedeler C, Nyland HI Neurology52p1049-56(1999 Mar 23)

Is interferon some sort of chemotherapy?

Interferon therapy is used (in combination with chemotherapy and radiation) as a treatment for some cancers. This treatment can be used in hematological malignancy, such as in leukemia and lymphomas including hairy cell leukemia, chronic myeloid leukemia, nodular lymphoma, and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.

Recommendations

The COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel (the Panel) recommends against the use of systemic interferon beta for the treatment of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 (AI).

Rationale

Many of the early studies that evaluated the use of systemic interferons for the treatment of COVID-19 were conducted in early 2020, before the widespread use of remdesivir and corticosteroids.

Clinical Trials

See ClinicalTrials.gov for a list of clinical trials that are evaluating the use of interferons for the treatment of COVID-19.

Adverse Effects

The most frequent adverse effects of systemic interferon include flu-like symptoms, nausea, fatigue, weight loss, hematological toxicities, elevated transaminases, and psychiatric problems (e.g., depression, suicidal ideation). Interferon beta is better tolerated than interferon alfa, but it can cause similar types of adverse effects. 6,7

Drug-Drug Interactions

Additive toxicities may occur when systemic interferons are used concomitantly with other immunomodulators and chemotherapeutic agents. 6,7

Considerations in Pregnancy

According to analyses of data from several large pregnancy registries, exposure to interferon beta-1b prior to conception or during pregnancy does not lead to an increased risk of adverse birth outcomes (e.g., spontaneous abortion, congenital anomaly). 8,9 Exposure to interferon beta-1b did not influence birth weight, height, or head circumference.

Considerations in Children

There are currently not enough data on the use of interferons to treat respiratory viral infections in children to make any recommendations for treating children with COVID-19.

What does interferon do to the body?

Interferon medicines treat things like bacteria, viruses and cancer by boosting the immune system. They can cause retinopathy, which is a disease of the retina.

Can interferon cause retinopathy?

Interferon medicine can cause retinopathy. Retinopathy is a disease of the retinathat can lead to vision loss. In most cases, retinopathy due to interferon medicine is mild and reversible. However, retinopathy can lead to vision loss.

Why are interferons used in medicine?

Since interferons enhance the immune system in many ways, they are used for many diseases that involve the immune system . For example:

What is interferon beta 1a used for?

Interferon beta-1a, currently in use to treat multiple sclerosis, and interferon alfa-2b are both under investigation as potential treatments for people with COVID-19 coronavirus disease, the deadly respiratory pandemic caused by the SARS -nCoV-2 virus.

What is the mechanism of action of interferons?

The mechanism of action of interferon is complex and is not well understood. Interferons modulate the response of the immune system to viruses, bacteria, cancer, and other foreign substances that invade the body. Interferons do not directly kill viral or cancerous cells; they boost the immune system response and reduce the growth ...

How much does zidovudine need to be reduced?

Therefore, the dose of zidovudine may need to be reduced by as much as 75% . Interferon alfa-2a and interferon alfa-2b may increase the time it takes for theophylline (for example, Theo-Dur) to be eliminated from the body, and the dose of theophylline may need to be reduced.

What are the side effects of interferons?

Other important side effects that may occur with all interferons, and that may be caused by higher doses are: Fatigue. Diarrhea.

What is interferon gamma-1B?

interferon alfa-n3 (Alferon-N) is approved for the treatment of genital and perianal warts caused by human papillomavirus ( HPV ). interferon gamma-1B (Actimmune) is approved for the treatment of chronic granulomatous disease, and severe , malignant osteopetrosis.

Which drugs interact with interferons?

Which drugs or supplements interact with interferons? Interferon alfa-2a, interferon alfa-2b, peginterferon beta-1a, and interferon beta-1b may increase blood levels of zidovudine (AZT, Retrovir ). While this reaction may improve zidovudine's effectiveness, it also may increase the risk of blood and liver toxicity.

What is the role of interferons in the immune system?

In general, type I and II interferons are responsible for regulating and activating the immune response . Expression of type I and III IFNs can be induced in virtually all cell types upon recognition of viral components, especially nucleic acids, by cytoplasmic and endosomal receptors, whereas type II interferon is induced by cytokines such as IL-12, and its expression is restricted to immune cells such as T cells and NK cells .

What type of interferon is released by cytotoxic T cells?

Interferon type II ( IFN-γ in humans): This is also known as immune interferon and is activated by Interleukin-12. Type II interferons are also released by cytotoxic T cells and type-1 T helper cells. However, they block the proliferation of type-2 T helper cells. The previous results in an inhibition of T h 2 immune response ...

What are the different types of interferons?

Types of interferon. Based on the type of receptor through which they signal, human interferons have been classified into three major types. Interferon type I: All type I IFNs bind to a specific cell surface receptor complex known as the IFN-α/β receptor ( IFNAR) that consists of IFNAR1 and IFNAR2 chains.

How does interferon affect the immune system?

All interferons share several common effects: they are antiviral agents and they modulate functions of the immune system. Administration of Type I IFN has been shown experimentally to inhibit tumor growth in animals, but the beneficial action in human tumors has not been widely documented. A virus-infected cell releases viral particles that can infect nearby cells. However, the infected cell can protect neighboring cells against a potential infection of the virus by releasing interferons. In response to interferon, cells produce large amounts of an enzyme known as protein kinase R (PKR). This enzyme phosphorylates a protein known as eIF-2 in response to new viral infections; the phosphorylated eIF-2 forms an inactive complex with another protein, called eIF2B, to reduce protein synthesis within the cell. Another cellular enzyme, RNAse L —also induced by interferon action—destroys RNA within the cells to further reduce protein synthesis of both viral and host genes. Inhibited protein synthesis impairs both virus replication and infected host cells. In addition, interferons induce production of hundreds of other proteins—known collectively as interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs)—that have roles in combating viruses and other actions produced by interferon. They also limit viral spread by increasing p53 activity, which kills virus-infected cells by promoting apoptosis. The effect of IFN on p53 is also linked to its protective role against certain cancers.

How do viruses inhibit IFN?

Viruses that inhibit IFN signaling include Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV), dengue type 2 virus (DEN-2), SARS-CoV-2 and viruses of the herpesvirus family, such as human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV or HHV8). Viral proteins proven to affect IFN signaling include EBV nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1) and EBV nuclear antigen 2 (EBNA-2) from Epstein-Barr virus, the large T antigen of Polyomavirus, the E7 protein of Human papillomavirus (HPV), and the B18R protein of vaccinia virus. Reducing IFN-α activity may prevent signaling via STAT1, STAT2, or IRF9 (as with JEV infection) or through the JAK-STAT pathway (as with DEN-2 infection). Several poxviruses encode soluble IFN receptor homologs—like the B18R protein of the vaccinia virus—that bind to and prevent IFN interacting with its cellular receptor, impeding communication between this cytokine and its target cells. Some viruses can encode proteins that bind to double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) to prevent the activity of RNA-dependent protein kinases; this is the mechanism reovirus adopts using its sigma 3 (σ3) protein, and vaccinia virus employs using the gene product of its E3L gene, p25. The ability of interferon to induce protein production from interferon stimulated genes (ISGs) can also be affected. Production of protein kinase R, for example, can be disrupted in cells infected with JEV. Some viruses escape the anti-viral activities of interferons by gene (and thus protein) mutation. The H5N1 influenza virus, also known as bird flu, has resistance to interferon and other anti-viral cytokines that is attributed to a single amino acid change in its Non-Structural Protein 1 (NS1), although the precise mechanism of how this confers immunity is unclear.

What is the IFN?

Interferon type I (α/β/δ...) Interferons ( IFN s, / ˌɪntərˈfɪərɒn /) are a group of signaling proteins made and released by host cells in response to the presence of several viruses. In a typical scenario, a virus-infected cell will release interferons causing nearby cells to heighten their anti-viral ...

How long did it take for the interferon gene to be found in different human chromosomes?

They described these observations in a 1959 publication, naming the responsible factor viral inhibitory factor (VIF). It took another fifteen to twenty years, using somatic cell genetics, to show that the interferon action gene and interferon gene reside in different human chromosomes.

What are Interferons?

Interferons are proteins produced by tumor cells or host cells that are infected with viruses, bacteria and other unknown nucleic acids. Interferons also activate other cells that serve as part of the immune system and destroy invading pathogens.

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

What is a NEDA score?

No evidence of disease activity (NEDA), increasingly considered the primary aim of MS treatment, is a composite of three measures of disease activity: no relapses, no disability progression, and no MRI activity (ie, new or enlarging T2 and Gd+ lesions).48–50In post hoc analyses of the EVIDENCE study, a head-to-head trial of SC and IM IFNβ-1a, more patients achieved clinical NEDA (defined as no relapses and no increase of ≥1.0 point in Expanded Disability Status Scale score from baseline sustained for 12 weeks) and MRI NEDA (defined as no new or newly enlarging T2 lesions) over 72 weeks with SC IFNβ-1a than with IM IFNβ-1a (clinical NEDA: 46.7% vs 33.3%; MRI NEDA: 48.6% vs 25.6%).51In the ADVANCE study, higher rates of overall NEDA, a composite of clinical NEDA (defined as no relapses and no increase in Expanded Disability Status Scale score of ≥1.0 point in patients with a baseline score of ≥1.0, or an increase of ≥1.5 points in patients with a baseline score of 0.0, confirmed after 12 weeks) and MRI NEDA (defined as no Gd+ lesions and no new or newly enlarging T2 lesions), were achieved by patients who received continuous treatment with peginterferon beta-1a every 2 weeks for 2 years (36.7%) than by patients who received peginterferon beta-1a every 4 weeks for 2 years (23.0%) or delayed treatment (placebo in year 1 and peginterferon beta-1a in year 2; 15.8%).34Differences in study design and NEDA definitions prevent comparison of NEDA rates across studies; however, these data generally support the possibility of achieving NEDA with interferon treatment.

How long does peginterferon beta-1a last?

The greater stability of the pegylated formulation is reflected in the pharmacokinetics of peginterferon beta-1a, specifically its longer half-life (78 hours vs 5–60 hours) and time to maximum concentration (1–1.5 days vs 1–15 hours) relative to the nonpegylated interferon formulations (Table 1).8–12Single-dose phase 1 studies showed that peginterferon beta-1a has a longer terminal half-life, greater cumulative area under the curve, and higher maximum concentration than IM IFNβ-1a.18In the COMPARE study, an open-label, crossover, pharmacokinetic study in healthy individuals,19overall drug exposure over a 2-week dosing period was 60% higher after a single dose of peginterferon beta-1a than after six doses of SC IFNβ-1a. In addition, drug levels remained detectable throughout the 2-week dosing period with peginterferon beta-1a.19

What is the best treatment for MS?

Interferon beta (IFNβ) was the first disease-modifying therapy available to treat multiple sclerosis (MS), providing patients with a treatment that resulted in reduced relapse rates and delays in the onset of disability. Four IFNβ drugs are currently approved to treat relapsing forms of MS: subcutaneous (SC) IFNβ-1b, SC IFNβ-1a, intramuscular IFNβ-1a, and, most recently, SC peginterferon beta-1a. Peginterferon beta-1a has an extended half-life and requires less frequent administration than other available treatments (once every 2 weeks vs every other day, 3 times per week, or weekly). Large randomized controlled clinical trials have confirmed the efficacy of interferons for the treatment of relapsing MS. The most frequent adverse events in patients receiving IFNs include injection site reactions and flu-like symptoms. Patient education and mitigation strategies are key to managing these adverse events and supporting therapy adherence. With fewer injections needed, peginterferon beta-1a is associated with less frequent discomfort, which may translate to improved adherence, a major factor in treatment efficacy. Because the available interferon therapies differ in administration route and frequency of injection, switching among these therapies may be a viable option for patients who experience issues with tolerability. Although a variety of disease-modifying therapies are now available to treat relapsing MS, the efficacy and long-term safety profile of interferons make them an important first-line option for treatment.

Why is drug stability and dosing frequency an important issue with interferon treatment of MS?

Why is drug stability and dosing frequency an important issue with interferon treatment of MS? Studies of nonadherence (the proportion of patients who do not follow treatment according to the prescription) among patients receiving injectable MS therapies have shown nonadherence rates of 41% to 88%.21, 22Nonadherent patients do not achieve the full efficacy of the treatment, with a negative effect on clinical outcomes, whereas patients who are more adherent to therapy show a reduced risk of relapse, lower rates of MS-related hospitalization, and decreased medical costs.21 ,23,24

Is interferon beta a first line therapy?

Interferon beta, which is available in several formulations, plays an important role as standard-of-care, first-line therapy for relapsing forms of MS.

Does interferon cause headaches?

Patients taking interferon may experience several AEs, including headaches, muscle aches, flu-like symptoms, and ISRs, which can all negatively affect the patient’s quality of life and desire to continue treatment. To maximize interferon treatment adherence and, thus, therapeutic efficacy, it is important to proactively manage AE symptoms (particularly flu-like symptoms and ISRs) in all patients, including those switching between interferon and noninterferon DMTs, those switching between IM and SC IFNβs, and those naive to DMT treatment. Table 2summarizes recommended pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic mitigation strategies for common AEs associated with IFNβ therapies.64–66The primary management strategy for flu-like symptoms and ISRs is gradual dose titration over 4 to 6 weeks. Analgesics and/or antipyretics, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, are often administered concurrently to prevent the onset of symptoms.67,68It is especially critical that patients be educated regarding the timing and impact of flu-like symptoms and ISRs and how to reduce/prevent such AEs using over-the-counter medications and other self-care practices, such as hydration, diet, and rest.64Most patients who experience flu-like symptoms or ISRs can administer doses in the evening, such that they sleep through the time during which they would otherwise experience symptoms.67–69Understanding the timing of AEs may be of particular importance when considering the potential for patients treated with PEG-IFNβ-1a to potentially experience flu-like symptoms or ISRs of extended duration.58

What does Tmax mean in medical terms?

Abbreviations: FDA,US Food and Drug Administration; t½, half-life; Tmax, time to maximum concentration.

How do interferons work?

For one, they change the way white blood cells destroy invading cells. This change triggers the body’s built-in immune response to fight viruses such as hepatitis C.

Why are interferons used with ribavirin?

Another reason for the long-term side effects was that interferons were often used with ribavirin to treat hepatitis C. Ribavirin further raised the risk of side effects.

What is the medication used to treat hepatitis C?

Interferons are medications that used to be standard treatments for hepatitis C.

How long does interferon treatment last?

Interferon treatment for hepatitis C would typically last 24–48 weeks (6–12 months). Interferons caused many long-term side effects partly because of this long treatment time.

What does interferon do to your immune system?

White blood cells fight infections as part of your immune system. Interferons can change the way white blood cells fight infection.

What to do if you have a thyroid problem after interferon?

Call your doctor if any of these symptoms occur after receiving interferon therapy. You may need replacement thyroid hormone if your thyroid isn’t producing enough, or treatment to reduce the activity of an overactive thyroid gland.

What does interferon do to your body?

Interferons can boost your body’s production of certain antibodies. Antibodies are cells that fight harmful substances in your body. Antibodies may mistake some of your healthy cells for invaders and attack them.

How many different types of interferon are there?

There are three basic forms of interferon. These are alpha and beta, also known as type 1, while gamma is known as type 2. Each form of interferon has different effects on the body.

What is the role of interferon in the immune system?

When interferon is released, it sets off a series of reactions in nearby cells to help them defend against the infection. Interferon is, therefore, a critical part of the immune system.

What is the last medically reviewed on February 16, 2018?

Last medically reviewed on February 16, 2018. Multiple Sclerosis. Cancer / Onc ology. Liver Disease / Hepatitis.

How many people have rare side effects?

Rare side effects affect less than 1 percent of people. They include:

What are the side effects of a syringe injection?

dizziness. pain, redness, or swelling at the point of injection. loss or thinning of hair. reduced appetite and weight loss. breathlessness and pale skin. being more likely to bruise and bleed. being more likely to pick up an infection. exhaustion and weakness.

Where is interferon given?

Interferon is usually given by injection underneath the skin of the thigh or belly. The drug may also be given through a drip.

Can interferon be used with antidepressants?

The review found that using antidepressants along with interferon might be helpful in staving off bouts of depression.

Recommendations

Rationale

Clinical Trials

Adverse Effects

Drug-Drug Interactions

Considerations in Pregnancy

Considerations in Children