The chimpanzee as a model to test the side effects of human interferons

Interferon are naturally occurring proteins that are currently under evaluation as potential antiviral and antitumor agents. Currently all human interferons can in principle be produced in adequate amounts by recombinant DNA technology. Human interferons produce side effects, but because they are species-specific the toxicity cannot be tested in lower mammals. The chimpanzee is the only species in which the side effects of human interferon can be reproduced, and only in this species the toxicity of human interferons can be screened.