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  • Home > Interferon Gamma

Interferon Gamma

Drug Name: Interferon Gamma
Brand Name: Actimmune by Intermune Pharms
FDA approval: 1999

Intended Use:  Actimmune is a synthetic version of interferon gamma-1b, a naturally occurring biologic response modifier. FDA has approved Actimmune to decrease the number and severity of infections in patients with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) and to delay the progression of severe, malignant osteopetrosis.

Treatment:  CGD is an inherited disorder in which immune system cells do not function properly leading to ongoing infection. The infections result in multiple lesions occurring in the lungs, liver, lymph nodes, and GI and GU tract (causing obstruction). Interferon-gamma may be helpful in reducing the number of severe infections.

In the treatment of CGD patients, when interferon gamma is administered three times per week, the patients showed improvement in existing infections and a 67% decrease in the relative risk of new serious infections. Patients that did not receive interferon gamma had a significantly higher incidence of hospitalizations for the treatment of infections. (FDA.gov)

Side effects from interferon gamma include flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, chills, muscle pain and fatigue. Progress and symptoms will be monitored by the medical team during treatments. The doctor should be kept well informed of any additional symptoms that may arise.

In the News:

  • The INSPIRE study, used to test the efficacy of Actimmune in the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) was stopped in March 2007. IPF is a chronic progressive lung disease of unknown cause in which the lungs are scarred. IPF causes severe and disabling shortness of breath which often results in death from respiratory failure. There are no drugs proven to be effective for treating IPF as interferon gamma-1b is no longer considered a viable treatment option. (FDA.gov)
  • Various studies have been conducted to determine the response rate of the use of intrapleural injections of interferon in malignant mesothelioma patients. The injections were administered twice a week for 8 weeks with the results indicating a 20% response rate in the reduction in the size of tumors. Gamma-interferon was shown to be effective in Stage I mesothelioma. The studies are ongoing for the treatment of mesothelioma with interferon gamma.