Albinterferon Explained

Albinterferon (alb-IFN, trade name Albuferon) is a recombinant fusion protein drug consisting of interferon alpha (IFN-α) linked to human albumin.^{[1] [2]} 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.^[3]

The drug was under investigation as an alternative to pegylated IFN-α-2a for the treatment of hepatitis C. In response to an FDA ruling, Novartis and Human Genome Sciences announced on October 5, 2010 that they will cease development of the drug.^[4] A French expert in hepatitis treatment, Dr. Yves Benhamou, member of the steering committee for a clinical trial of the drug was detained on criminal fraud charges by the F.B.I. agents on 11-01-2010 as he attended a conference in Boston because he allegedly tipped off a hedge fund manager about setbacks in the clinical trials (two participants in the trial had developed lung disease and one of them died); he had a consulting relationship with a manager of the hedge fund. The manager sold his entire stake in Human Genome Sciences before it announced the setbacks in Jan. 2008 and avoided $30 million in losses.^{[5] [6]}

Notes and References

1. Osborn BL, Olsen HS, Nardelli B, Murray JH, Zhou JX, Garcia A, Moody G, Zaritskaya LS, Sung C . 6 . Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies of a human serum albumin-interferon-alpha fusion protein in cynomolgus monkeys . The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics . 303 . 2 . 540–8 . November 2002 . 12388634 . 10.1124/jpet.102.037002 . 5855715 .
2. Web site: International Nonproprietary Names (INN) for biological and biotechnological substances . 2016 . World Health Organization . 45 .
3. Zeuzem S, Yoshida EM, Benhamou Y, Pianko S, Bain VG, Shouval D, Flisiak R, Rehak V, Grigorescu M, Kaita K, Cronin PW, Pulkstenis E, Subramanian GM, McHutchison JG . 6 . Albinterferon alfa-2b dosed every two or four weeks in interferon-naïve patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C . Hepatology . 48 . 2 . 407–17 . August 2008 . 18666223 . 10.1002/hep.22403 . 12000317 . free .
4. Web site: Novartis drops development of albinterferon and Mycograb in candidiases, taking $590 million charge . 6 October 2010 . Pharma Letter .
5. News: French Doctor Arrested on Insider Trading Charges . The New York Times . Thomas . Kaplan . vanc . November 2, 2010.
6. Web site: Manhattan U.S. Attorney Charges French Doctor for Insider Trading Securities Fraud Allegedly Illegal Inside Tips at Time of Fatality and Other Problems in Clinical Drug Trial Allow Hedge Fund to Avoid $30 Million in Trading Losses . https://web.archive.org/web/20101105023715/http://newyork.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/pressrel10/nyfo110210a.htm . 5 November 2010 . Department of Justice Press Release .