Retreatment of Patients Nonresponsive to Pegylated Interferon and Ribavirin with Daily High-Dose Consensus Interferon

Background. Current treatment of chronic hepatitis C with pegylated interferon and ribavirin has the ability to eliminate viral infection in about half of the patients treated. Therapeutic options, for those with remaining chronic hepatitis, will remain limited until novel antivirals become available in the future. Consensus interferon is currently available and has demonstrated clinical efficacy with superior invitro antiviral activity, but the maximum tolerated dose is not defined. Methods. We assessed the efficacy of daily high-dose (24 ug) consensus interferon with weight-based (1000-1200 mg daily) ribavirin in HCV genotype 1-infected non-responder patients. Results. Six adverse events were documented in five patients, and the trial was terminated with no subject achieving viral clearance. Conclusions. The occurrence of serious adverse events effectively defined the upper limit of acceptable dose, while also revealing that this dose did not offer enhanced sustained viral clearance.