GRANULOCYTE-MACROPHAGE COLONY-STIMULATING FACTOR AS ADJUVANT THERAPY FOR INTERFERON A TREATMENT OF CHRONIC HEPATITIS-C

The safety and efficacy of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating f actor (GM-CSF) as adjuvant therapy for interferon alpha (IFN-alpha) tr eatment has been evaluated in 20 non-cirrhotic patients with chronic h epatitis C virus (HCV) infection, Adjuvant therapy with GM-CSF plus IF N-alpha was associated with less myelosuppression than with IFN-alpha alone (P < .01), although the rate of local adverse reactions increase d, GM-CSF adjuvant therapy led to a 50% biochemical response (transami nase values within the normal range at therapy end) and to reductions in HCV RNA concentrations (median HCV RNA reduction of 99%, range 8-10 0%), which were similarly observed in single IFN-alpha recipients (med ian HCV RNA reduction of 91%, range 38-100%). However, HCV RNA became undetectable in three biochemical responders to the GM-CSF adjuvant th erapy but in only one biochemical nonresponder to IFN-alpha alone, The use of GM-CSF as adjuvant therapy is safe and, although it has not im proved the biochemical response, it might potentiate the virologic res ponse to IFN-alpha treatment alone. (C) 1996 Academic Press Limited