To optimally integrate targeted kinase inhibitors and immunotherapies in the treatment of melanoma, it will be critical to understand how BRAFV600E mutational status and BRAFV600E inhibition influence the expression of genes that govern antitumor immune responses. Because major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules are critical for interactions between tumor cells and lymphocytes, we inves...

OBJECTIVE IFN α Kinoid (IFN-K) is a therapeutic vaccine composed of IFNα2b coupled to a carrier protein. In a phase I/II placebo-controlled trial, we observed that IFN-K significantly decreases the IFN gene signature in whole blood RNA samples from SLE patients. Here, we analysed extended follow-up data from IFN-K-treated patients, in order to evaluate persistence of neutralizing anti-IFNα Abs ...

ownloade short circulating half-life and side effects of IFNα affect its dosing schedule and efficacy. Fusion of IFNα mor-targeting monoclonal antibody (MAb-IFNα) can enhance potency due to increased tumor localiand improved pharmacokinetics. We report the generation and characterization of the first bispecific FNα, designated 20-C2-2b, which comprises two copies of IFNα2b and a stabilized F(ab...

BACKGROUND HCV infection is characterized by a tendency towards chronicity. Acute HCV infection progresses to chronic infection in 70% of cases. Hepatitis C virus infection can cause progressive liver injury and lead to fibrosis and eventually cirrhosis. The degree of histologic fibrosis is an important marker of the stage of the disease. One of current standard treatment for CHC infection is t...

PURPOSE "In situ vaccination" using immunogene therapy has the ability to induce polyclonal antitumor responses directed by the patient's immune system. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Patients with unresectable malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) received two intrapleural doses of a replication-defective adenoviral vector containing the human IFNα2b gene (Ad.IFN) concomitant with a 14-day course of cel...

BACKGROUND Antiviral treatment is recommended for chronic hepatitis C patients with advanced fibrosis to reduce and prevent cirrhosis-related complications. AIM To evaluate the efficacy and safety of telaprevir (TVR)-based triple therapy for patients with advanced fibrosis in a clinical practice setting. METHODS This prospective, multicentre study consisted of 102 patients with advanced fib...

H C virus (HCV) infects 170 million people worldwide (1). The infection becomes chronic in 85%–90% of cases with potential to cause cirrhosis, end-stage liver disease, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (2). Treatment of HCV infection has evolved significantly over the last 20 years since the introduction of interferon-α in 1991. Initial studies using interferon were disappointing with response...

BACKGROUND We aimed to assess differences in early viral dynamics following treatment with either peg-IFNalpha2a or peg-IFNalpha2b in combination with ribavirin in patients with chronic genotype 1b HCV infection. MATERIAL/METHODS Sixty-one patients in the peg-IFNalpha2a + ribavirin treatment (group alpha2a) and 88 patients in the peg-IFNalpha2b + ribavirin treatment (group alpha2b) were retro...

Gastrointestinal disorders (especially diarrhea) are observed in a proportion of patients treated with the currently approved combination treatment for chronic hepatitis C (CHC), pegylated-interferon alpha (PEG-IFNa) plus rib-avirin (RIB) [1]. Several reports suggest that the presence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is not a contraindica-tion for interferon-alpha-(IFNa-) based treatments [2...