Methods for retreatment of patients afflicted with Hepatitis C using consensus interferon

• US 5,980,884 A
• Filed: 02/05/1996
• Issued: 11/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Amgen Inc.
• Original Assignee: Amgen Inc.
• Inventors: Klein, Michael, Blatt, Larry
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenschenk, F C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zeman, Mary K
• Application Number:
  US08/595,440
• Time in Patent Office: 1,373 Days
• Field of Search: 424/85.4, 424/85.5, 424/85.6, 424/85.7, 530/351
• US Class Current: 424/85.4
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 38/212 IFN-alpha
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 1/00 Drugs for disorders of the alimentary tract or the digestive system
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 1/16 for liver or gallbladder disorders, e.g. hepatoprotective agents, cholagogues, litholytics
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 31/00 Antiinfectives, i.e. antibiotics, antiseptics, chemotherapeutics
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 31/20 for DNA viruses

Abstract

Methods for the retreatment, using a therapeutically effective amount of interferon consensus, of patients with HCV who exhibit serum ALT values above the upper limit of normal after previous treatment with interferon.

Claims

1. A method for retreating HCV patients, said patients having failed to respond to previous treatment with an interferon, comprising administering to a patient a therapeutically effective amount of interferon consensus.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said interferon consensus is selected from the group consisting of IFN-con₁, IFN-con₂, and IFN-con₃.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said interferon consensus is IFN-con₁.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein said interferon consensus is a product of prokaryotic expression of an exogenous DNA sequence.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the therapeutically effective amount is administered orally, intravenously, intramuscularly, subcutaneously, intranasally, or intralesionally.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the therapeutically effective amount is 15 μ

g administered subcutaneously three times weekly for 24 weeks.

7. A method for obtaining normalized serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels in a patient suffering from HCV and having failed to respond to previous treatment with interferon therapy, comprising administering to said patient a therapeutically effective amount of interferon consensus.