Synonyms: IFN-alpha-2 | interferon alpha-2 | Roferon A®
IFN-α2 is an approved drug (FDA (1989))
Compound class:
Endogenous peptide in human, mouse or rat
Comment: IFN-α2 is a type I IFN. The sequence of the recombinant peptide used clinically and known as interferon alfa-2a, is identical to that of human IFN-α2. Interferon α-2a has anti-viral, immunomodulatory and antineoplastic actions.
Pegylated IFN-α-2a is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.
Species: Human
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No information available. |
Summary of Clinical Use ![]() |
Interferon α-2a is used as an antiviral (treatment of chronic hepatitis C) or antineoplastic agent (treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia, Kaposi's sarcoma, renal cell carcinoma and hairy cell for example. Marketing approval for the original formulation appears to have been discontinued in the US, although orphan designation for various uses are retrieved on the FDA's Orphan Products Designation web search [1]. A very low dose oral interferon alpha product (Veldona®, Amarillo Biosciences) is in clinical development, and this has FDA orphan designation for the treatment of papillomavirus warts in the oral cavity of HIV positive patients, and Behcet's disease [2]. A monopegylated, long-acting version of IFN-α-2b, called ropeginterferon α-2b-njft (Besremi®) was granted FDA approval in November 2021, for the treatment of patients with polycythemia vera. |