Which will be the most useful interferon?

Promising signs of clinical success using interferon in cancer patients have spurred the interferon boom and pharmaceutical companies, lured by a potential lucrative market, are expanding their investment in the production of this natural drug. This paper points out that the interferons known so far have different pharmacokinetic and therefore it would be important, for the future clinical trials, to correlate pharmacokinetic behaviours with therapeutic efficacy. The empirical approach in use today may lead to some failure but, on the other hand, it may help in deciding more rapidly which interferon, or combination of interferons, is more effective. Furthermore, the importance of continuing the search for an ideal interferon inducer is stressed, owing to the growing awareness that interferon is a powerful antiviral and antiproliferative agent but, probably, needs other modulators to exert its full therapeutic potential.