Aa
Considering Amantadine and Zadaxin
I am a 1a, stage I, mono therapy non-repsonder who is strongly considering combo tx. Thing is, if I am going to go through the hell of interferon once again, I want to throw everything available and the kitchen sink at the virus for this one-time shot. Does anyone know of any studies/links showing positive outcomes for combo tx plus Amantadine? Or, any links showing preliminary data on Peg + Zadaxin? I have the 'luxury' of being able to wait based upon my biopsy of a few weeks back. But I weigh waiting against what this monster has done and continues to do to my immune system over the 19 years I have had it. In all probability I'll be starting tx sometime soon - I just want to toss any and all at it that might up the odds. Thank you for all your help.
Hi, here are results of a recent triple-therapy <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6WG8-48S452C-N&_coverDate=06%2F30%2F2003&_alid=109815395&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_qd=1&_cdi=6816&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=3dfe034cabb2518709976ce2aebcccd1">trial</a>. Doesn't look too promising. You can probably find others by doing a pubmed search on "related articles" to this one. Best wishes.
If he is connected to a University, he is more likely to be aware of a trial which may be enrolling patients in a new therapy or combo. I really think you will be hard pressed to find any doc (outside of research protocol) that is willing to deviate much from the standard of care.
Gi.PA
Gi.PA
Some points to ponder....
I would strongly suggest that if you are interested in a new combo, then get hooked up with a university or research center. Your local GI may be hesitant (I would be) to do anything this brave on their own...legal issues up the kazoo. In addition, if you are hooked up with a university, your experience (treatment failure, success, trend, sides) are tracked closely and can ultimate benifit other down the road.
Also consider the fact that there were very few responders to mono-therapy and I would never hesitate to retreat them with combo therapy. The data shows a pretty good response rate for mono-therapy failures...
Other option..watch and wait...biopsy every three years.
GI.PA
I would strongly suggest that if you are interested in a new combo, then get hooked up with a university or research center. Your local GI may be hesitant (I would be) to do anything this brave on their own...legal issues up the kazoo. In addition, if you are hooked up with a university, your experience (treatment failure, success, trend, sides) are tracked closely and can ultimate benifit other down the road.
Also consider the fact that there were very few responders to mono-therapy and I would never hesitate to retreat them with combo therapy. The data shows a pretty good response rate for mono-therapy failures...
Other option..watch and wait...biopsy every three years.
GI.PA
When considering a second course of TX I spoke to two researchers who said they didn't think Amantedine would be of much help with the usual TX combo. That's just two people though so don't take it as gospel.
Re zadaxin
Randy McBeath is the contact at sciclone and was very informative when I spoke with him. I lost his phone number but here is his email Randy McBeath
E-mail Address(es):
***@****
It sounded promising when I checked into it last fall and Europe was getting ready to release testing results. If you ask sciclone they will send you a bruchure with all the information from testing. It is quit expensive ( I think over 800 a month) and you would have to get it from another country. But because we have "a life threatening disease" it is legal for you to import this with a scrip form a US doc. Randy can give you all this and more info if you would like it. I thought if I didn't get the results I wanted at 3 months I would add zadaxin but I didn't have to. Good luck on your search. LL
Randy McBeath is the contact at sciclone and was very informative when I spoke with him. I lost his phone number but here is his email Randy McBeath
E-mail Address(es):
***@****
It sounded promising when I checked into it last fall and Europe was getting ready to release testing results. If you ask sciclone they will send you a bruchure with all the information from testing. It is quit expensive ( I think over 800 a month) and you would have to get it from another country. But because we have "a life threatening disease" it is legal for you to import this with a scrip form a US doc. Randy can give you all this and more info if you would like it. I thought if I didn't get the results I wanted at 3 months I would add zadaxin but I didn't have to. Good luck on your search. LL
In some clinical trials (and I think they are being held outside of the US)interferon, ribavirin and amantadine are being tested as the 'triple therapy treatment' for hepC. Amantadine is an antiviral used to prevent certain influenza infections and has no effect by itself on viral load. When combined with the interferon, it produces a virological response. It is now being used in triple therapy trials. I believe there are 2 people on this forum using amantadine along with rib and interferon, but can't remember who. I also want to speak to my GI at my next appointment regarding amantadine and see what he knows or is willing to talk about it with me since it is still being trialed.
The company who produces zadaxin is sciclone international. Their website is http://www.scicloneinternational.com/. This can give you some initial information about the drug and use for hepC.
I hope that someone on this forum who is knowledgeable regarding these other tow drugs will comment. I assume that everyone is wondering if amantadine and zadaxin will get better results than just peg and riba.
Sorry to hear that you are a non responder to the combo therapy treatment and that you are having to go through this ordeal. Although the results with the medicine that is now out for treatment for the virus are showing good results and much success, there are still lots of people out there who did not respond to the medicine.
Stay strong !
The company who produces zadaxin is sciclone international. Their website is http://www.scicloneinternational.com/. This can give you some initial information about the drug and use for hepC.
I hope that someone on this forum who is knowledgeable regarding these other tow drugs will comment. I assume that everyone is wondering if amantadine and zadaxin will get better results than just peg and riba.
Sorry to hear that you are a non responder to the combo therapy treatment and that you are having to go through this ordeal. Although the results with the medicine that is now out for treatment for the virus are showing good results and much success, there are still lots of people out there who did not respond to the medicine.
Stay strong !
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