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Treatment of hepatitis C infections with interferon: a historical perspective

Robert M Friedman1, Sara Contente

  • 1Department of Pathology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.

Hepatitis Research and Treatment
|December 15, 2010
PubMed

Interferons were first described in 1957, but it was not until 34 years after their discovery that sufficient quantities of it were available for treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections, Clinicians now have an excellent understanding of the basis for the effectiveness of interferon alpha (IFN-α) in the therapy of this disease. Treatment with IFN-α is more efficient when it complemented by the antiviral ribavirin and the IFN-α is conjugated with polyethylene glycol to form peginterferon. In the near future treatment of HCV with IFN-α may involve new anti-HCV agents that are currently under development.

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