Interferon and Hepatitis C

An estimated 3.5 million people in the United States have chronic hepatitis C. Each year, 8000 to 10,000 chronically infected patients die of liver-related complications, and 1000 undergo liver transplantation1 (and Alter M: personal communication). Interferon alfa is the only drug approved for the treatment of hepatitis C in Europe and North America. In the short term, about 50 percent of patients have a response to interferon, but the long-term results have been disappointing.2 After the completion of standard therapy (3 million units three times weekly for six months), 25 percent of patients or less have a sustained biochemical remission, . . .