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A phase 2 study to evaluate the antiviral activity, safety, and pharmacokinetics of recombinant human albumin-interferon alfa fusion protein in genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C patients.

Bain VG, Kaita KD, Yoshida EM, Swain MG, Heathcote EJ, Neumann AU, Fiscella M, Yu R, Osborn BL, Cronin PW, Freimuth WW, McHutchison JG, Subramanian GM

University of Alberta, Liver Unit, Zeidler Ledcor Center, 130 University Campus, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T6G 2X8. vince.bain@ualberta.ca

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Recombinant human albumin-interferon alfa (alb-IFN) is a novel 85.7-kD recombinant protein consisting of interferon alfa-2b genetically fused to human serum albumin. METHODS: A phase 2, open-label, dose-ranging study was conducted in IFN-alfa-naïve patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C to evaluate the antiviral activity, safety, and pharmacokinetics of alb-IFN. Fifty-six patients were enrolled to receive two subcutaneous injections of alb-IFN 14 days apart in five dose cohorts of 200, 450, 670, 900, and 1,200 microg. RESULTS: A 2 log(10) IU/mL or greater reduction in hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA at Week 4 was observed in 69% (18/26) of patients who received the higher alb-IFN doses of 900 and 1,200 microg. The mean HCV RNA reduction at Week 4 in these two higher-dose cohorts was 3.2 log(10) IU/mL. Modeling of viral kinetics demonstrated a biphasic response that was dose dependent. Adverse events were mostly mild to moderate in severity. The most common adverse events were headache (73%), chills (63%), fatigue (61%), and arthralgia (55%). The median terminal half-life was 141 h consistent with previous alb-IFN data from IFN-alfa-experienced patients. CONCLUSIONS: Alb-IFN demonstrated significant antiviral activity and was well tolerated in patients with HCV genotype 1 infection.

Published 17 March 2006 in J Hepatol, 44(4): 671-8.
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