[Phase I study of human lymphoblastoid alpha-interferon on malignant tumor]

A phase I study with human lymphoblastoid alpha-interferon (IFN-alpha) was conducted in 31 patients with malignant tumors. IFN-alpha was administered by intravenous drip infusion, intramuscular injection or local injection. In each patient, the dose was increased in 6 steps from 3 X 10(6) IU/body up to 54 X 10(6) IU/body for the purpose of investigating the safety, optimal regimen, pharmacokinetics and antitumor effect. The following findings were obtained: 1) Fever as a side effect was most frequently (in about 80%) found. However, the temperature did not exceed 40 degrees C in most cases and, on the next day, spontaneously fell to normal. 2) The dose-limiting factors (DLF) may include the subjective symptoms of anorexia, general fatigue and nausea/vomiting and the objective symptom of pancytopenia. 3) The maximum tolerated dose (MTD) was estimated to be between 36 X 10(6) and 54 X 10(6) IU/body per dose. 4) As for the route of administration, the intramuscular one was considered most suitable on the basis of the plasma concentration profile of INF-alpha. It was therefore concluded that the drug may be further submitted to a phase II study which is to be conducted with due consideration of its safety.