Albinterferon

Albinterferon (Albuferon^®, alb-IFN) is a novel recombinant fusion protein drug consisting of interferon alpha (IFN-α) linked to human albumin.cite journal |author=Osborn BL, Olsen HS, Nardelli B, "et al" |title=Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies of a human serum albumin-interferon-alpha fusion protein in cynomolgus monkeys |journal=J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. |volume=303 |issue=2 |pages=540–8 |year=2002 |month=November |pmid=12388634 |doi=10.1124/jpet.102.037002 |url=http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=12388634] Conjugation to human albumin prolongs the half-life of the IFN-α to about 6 days, allowing to dose it every two to four weeks.cite journal |author=Zeuzem S, Yoshida EM, Benhamou Y, "et al" |title=Albinterferon alfa-2b dosed every two or four weeks in interferon-naïve patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C |journal=Hepatology |volume=48 |issue=2 |pages=407–17 |year=2008 |month=August |pmid=18666223 |doi=10.1002/hep.22403 |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/hep.22403]

The drug is currently under investigation as an alternative to pegylated IFN-α-2a in the combination regimen with ribavirin for the treatment of hepatitis C, and could be used in other settings in which IFN-α is also used. The company Human Genome Sciences is developing the drug in collaboration with Novartis.

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