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| AHFS/Drugs.com | International Drug Names |
| Routes of administration | Subcutaneous,[1] intramuscular[2] |
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Interferon alfa (INN) orHuIFN-alpha-Le, trade nameMultiferon, is apharmaceutical drug composed of naturalinterferon alpha (IFN-α), obtained from theleukocyte fraction of humanblood following induction withSendai virus.Interferon alfa contains several naturally occurring IFN-α subtypes and is purified byaffinity chromatography. Although the pharmaceutical product is often simply called "interferon alpha" or "IFN-α" like itsendogenous counterpart, the product's International nonproprietary name (INN) is interferon alfa (the spelling of 'alfa' with 'f' reflects INN naming conventions).
Interferon alfa is used in a variety of treatments, including certain forms ofleukemia,melanoma,non-Hodgkin's lymphoma,[3]hepatitis B, andhepatitis C.[4][5][6] It is typically administered as aninjection under the skin.[1]
Common side effects (≥10% of people) include: increased risk of infection due to drop in white blood cells; difficulty sleeping; mood changes including irritability, excitement, restlessness, or depression; headaches and dizziness; dry mouth; blurred vision; feeling or being sick; abdominal pain; diarrhoea; sore mouth; taste changes; hair loss; sweating; joint and/or muscle pain;injection site reactions,fatigue,flu-like symptoms; loss of appetite and weight loss.[1]
The USFDA has issued ablack box warning regarding the potential for "caus[ing] or aggravat[ing] fatal orlife-threatening neuropsychiatric, autoimmune, ischemic, and infectiousdisorders."[2]
Interferon alfa contains a mixture of severalproteins, all with structural,serological, and functional properties typical for naturalinterferon alpha (IFN-α). The major subtypes identified are IFN-α1, IFN-α2, IFN-α8, IFN-α10, IFN-α14 and IFN-α21. Of these, IFN-α2 and IFN-α14 areglycosylated. The IFN-α content is expressed inInternational Units permilliliter, and the drug product is formulated inisotonic phosphate buffer solution atpH = 7.2, and supplemented with humanalbumin at 1.5 mg/mL. The albumin used is a medicinal product approved in several countries, and is indicated forsubcutaneous injection therapy.
IFN-α8 enhances the proliferation of humanB cells, as well as being able to activateNK cells. The subtypes α10 and α2, along with α8, are the most efficient and powerful NK cell activators.Subtypes α21 and α2 enhance the expression ofIFN-gamma-inducible protein-10 (IP-10) indendritic cells. Activated dendritic cells initiateimmune responses and induce theexpression of IP-10, achemokine which promotes aTh1inflammatory response.
IFN-α1 causes increasedHLA-II expression, and can directly inhibittumor cell growthin vitro. However, it is a poor activator of NK cells, has relatively littleantiviral activity, does not induce B cell proliferation, and does not enhanceHLA-I ortumor antigen expression. Despite its apparent inactivity, it is still used clinically in the treatment ofmetastaticrenal cell carcinoma, with a reported lowertoxicity than therecombinant IFN-α2. Overall, IFN-α has a general inflammatory action which skews the immune response towards a Th1 profile.
Subtype α2 increases the expression of HLA-I molecules, which correlates with IFN-α-mediated activation ofmemory CD8 cells and increasedcytolytic action againstvirally infected cells and tumor cells (viacytotoxic CD8 cells).
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