Clinical Trials Study
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World J Hepatol. Jul 27, 2014; 6(7): 520-526
Published online Jul 27, 2014. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v6.i7.520
Pegylated interferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin for treatment of chronic hepatitis C
PN Rao, Abraham Koshy, Jacob Philip, Narayanan Premaletha, Joy Varghese, Krishnasamy Narayanasamy, Samir Mohindra, Nitin Vikas Pai, Manoj Kumar Agarwal, Ashoknanda Konar, Hasmukh B Vora
PN Rao, Department of Gastroenterology, Asian Institute of Gastroenterology, Hyderabad 500082, India
Abraham Koshy, Department of Hepatology, Lakeshore Hospital, Kochi 682040, India
Jacob Philip, Department of Gastroenterology, Cosmopolitan Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram 695004, India
Narayanan Premaletha, Department of Gastroenterology, Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram 695011, India
Joy Varghese, Department of Hepatology, Global Hospitals and Health City, Chennai 600100, India
Krishnasamy Narayanasamy, Department of Hepatology, GGH and MMC, Chennai 600003, India
Samir Mohindra, Department of Gastroenterology, SGPGIMS, Lucknow 226014, India
Nitin Vikas Pai, Department of Gastroenterology, Pai Clinic and Diagnostic Center, Pune 411005, India
Manoj Kumar Agarwal, Department of Gastroenterology, Belle Vue Clinic, Kolkata 700017, India
Ashoknanda Konar, Department of Gastroenterology, Peerless Hospital and B.K. Roy Research Center, Kolkata 700094, India
Hasmukh B Vora, Department of Gastroenterology, Alka Hospital, Ahmedabad 380019, India
Author contributions: All eleven authors of the manuscript carried out the field research for the study in addition to contributing to the conception and design of the study; Rao PN was also instrumental in writing the paper.
Supported by Virchow Biotech Private Limited, Hyderabad, India
Correspondence to: PN Rao, MD, DM, Department of Gastroenterology, Asian Institute of Gastroenterology, 6-3-661, Somajiguda, Hyderabad 500082, India. pnrcraig@gmail.com
Telephone: +91-40-23378888 Fax: +91-40-23324255
Received: December 19, 2013
Revised: April 11, 2014
Accepted: May 28, 2014
Published online: July 27, 2014
Core Tip

Core tip: In a multicenter study, the safety and efficacy of pegylated interferon alfa-2b, indigenously developed in India, plus ribavirin was evaluated on 100 hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients with genotypes 1, 2, 3, and 4. Eighty-two patients completed the study. Most patients had mild-to-moderate adverse events, although 11 serious adverse events were reported in 9 patients. However, only 4 of these were related to study medication. The percentage of serologic response (rapid virologic response, early virologic response, and sustained virologic response rates) of patients was similar to that reported in published studies. In conclusion, peginterferon alfa-2b, developed in India, is a safe and cost-effective drug in the treatment of Indian patients with HCV infection.