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Interferon Efficacy Under Scrutiny
Chronic infection with the hepatitis C virus is one of the most common causes of liver disease and can even lead to cirrhosis or cancer of the liver. The current treatment option – using pegylated interferons in combination with ribavirin – can take up to twelve months and often puts great stress on the patient.
In terms of success rate, only about half of the sufferers are healed. A research group led by Medical Professor Markus H. Heim has been able to provide strong evidence for why the treatment is often not effective.
The study was made possible by the willingness of 16 patients to undergo a liver biopsy before and after being injected with interferon. The research team then investigated the molecular impact of interferon on the liver. It revealed that in many patients the liver’s own interferon system was – unexpectedly – already active before the treatment was started. This was why the administered interferon had no impact on the liver cells.
It is not yet clear what lies behind this observation. It is equally unclear why the body’s own interferon system cannot eliminate the infection with the hepatitis C virus. This is the next puzzle that Markus Heim wants to solve.
