Phase 3

[mari74]

I been asked to go inot a study  called:
A Phase 3, Randomized Multi-Center Study to Elvalute the Efficacy and Safety of
Albumin Interferon Alfa-2b in Combination with Ribavirin
Compared with Peginterferon Alfa-2a (PEGASYS OR PEG-IFNa2a) in
Combination with Ribavirin in Interferon Alfa Naive
Subjects with Chronic HepatitisC Genotype 1...

Soeey for the very long title...please tell me what you think and if you all have
never heard anything good about a study like this.

The injection will be given every two weeks at a higher dose witht he 2 drugs combined...vs every week>

[Cigarred]

I had body aches for the first three days after my first shot.  Maybe I'm just lucky that I don't have major systems. But I'm also under a psychiatrist care for ten years.  I take effexor for depression and klonopin for sleep  When I was enrolling for the study Dr Dieterich the study phyician told me that that "pre-shrunk patients do better with the side effects, lol.  I felt pretty good this week end and jogged about 15miles.  However I do have my bad days.  a little depression, a general feeling of lethargy for a three or four day after my injection. Riba also upsets my stomach.  By the way Dr Dieterich did mention to me that chills are usually a first shot occurance.  Keep the faith, according to Dr Dieterich treatment is not an option, it is a must.

[Libzo]

My fellow hepper,  How are you doing on that Albuferon?  I had my first shot last Friday here in Northern Virginia.  Rough first night - Major flu like symtoms, chills and fever, nausea - don't take riba with icecream or any milk like product.  Oatmeal and macaroni work good to keep the riba down.  No rash, just constant annoying headache.  I feel like I have a foot in the door.  It is wonderful to be on the fighting side of things.  48 weeks of challenge - I figure it takes 9 months to have a baby so I am basically giving birth to myself - SVR!

This site gave me the courage to take the bull by the horns - what a ride.

Libzo

[Cigarred]

I just finished my 7thwk from the nyc clinical trial of the same drug.  You have a 2 and 3 change of getting albuferon and  1/3 chance of peg interferon.  If your lucky enough to get albuferon the side effects are not as  bad as interferon.  I am on 1200mg of albuferon plus 6 riba pills per day.  My side effects are mostly tolerable. The results of the prior albuferon are in  Albuferon showed a similar effacy as interferon with less  side effects than interferon.

[moahunter]

Good luck. I really hope this drug will be succesful. I hate taking interferon weekly. Every 2nd week would be much better, as it should allow you to have at least one good weekend out of every 2 (if you are working).

[desrt]

Albuferon is an interferon that stays in the body longer than either of the two Peg interferons now being used - thus the every other week dosing rather than once a week. From what I've heard, this means fewer side effects with a similiar response rate.