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PE

PEG IFN alpha-2a (CAP/CTM HCV 2.0)

✓ Approved

Roche · Companion diagnostic · Companion diagnostic

What is PEG IFN alpha-2a?

PEG IFN alpha-2a is a companion diagnostic developed by Roche. It is approved for therapeutic indications via others.

Drug Profile

Brand NamesCAP/CTM HCV 2.0
CompanyRoche
Drug ClassCompanion diagnostic
RouteOthers
StatusApproved
Sources: ClinicalTrials.gov, Roche

Related Research Articles

PubMedClinical drug investigation2026-10-15

The Economic Burden of HDV in Italy: Evaluating the Potential Impact and Effects of Bulevirtide for Chronic HDV Infection.

Paoletti Martina M, Cazzato Daniela D, Marcellusi Andrea A, Kondili Loreta A LA et al.

Chronic hepatitis D is associated with substantial clinical and economic burden due to its progressive course and risk of severe liver-related complications. The aim of this study was to quantify the economic burden of chronic hepatitis D (HDV) in Italy from societal perspectives, and to estimate the clinical and economic consequences associated with bulevirtide, peginterferon alfa (PEG-IFN-α), and best supportive care (BSC) in HDV-RNA-positive adults with compensated liver disease. The economic impact of HDV infection was estimated using a cost-of-illness (COI) analysis, while the costs and effects of introducing bulevirtide were estimated using a cost-and-outcomes analysis (COA). The COA compared two scenarios: a clinical practice scenario that includes PEG-IFN-α and BSC, and a scenario that introduces bulevirtide. The analyses were conducted from the societal perspective; therefore, direct and indirect estimated costs were included. The most relevant outcomes were quality adjusted life years (QALYs) and the number of deaths. Both analyses were carried out on a standardised hypothetical cohort of 1000 HDV-RNA-positive adult patients with compensated liver disease, over 10 years. A deterministic sensitivity analysis (DSA) was conducted to assess parameter uncertainty. The COI estimated a 10-year economic burden of €34,939,429.41 for the management and treatment of patients with HDV infection in Italy. The COA estimated a total 10-year reduction in disease-related costs of €2,152,752.76 after the introduction of bulevirtide, an increase of 8.26% (+ 366.12) in the number of QALYs gained, and a 12.39% reduction (- 73.67) in the number of deaths. Our study suggests that the introduction of bulevirtide may alleviate the clinical and economic burden associated with HDV in Italy, while improving quality of life.

PMID 42875707
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PubMedFrontiers in medicine2026-10-15

Season-adjusted longitudinal changes in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D during pegylated interferon add-on to ongoing tenofovir alafenamide therapy in chronic hepatitis B: a real-world cohort study.

Han Ning N, Liu Huan H, Zhu Xia X

To characterize serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] trajectories during peginterferon alfa-2b (Peg-IFN) add-on to ongoing tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) therapy in chronic hepatitis B and explore associations with hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). This retrospective cohort identified 203 consecutive patients, of whom 190 contributed longitudinal data through week 48. The primary random-intercept mixed-effects model used categorical visit time and adjusted for seasonality, age, and sex. Continuous-time, random-slope, visit-timing, and HBsAg-censoring analyses assessed sensitivity. The primary adjusted week-48 25(OH)D difference was -7.9 nmol/L (95% CI, -9.8 to -6.0) (P < 0.001); the secondary continuous-time estimate was -8.3 nmol/L over 48 weeks. Observed concentrations declined through week 36 and partially rebounded at week 48. The proportion below 47.7 nmol/L increased from 21.1% to 34.7%. The adjusted total serum calcium trend was -0.061 mmol/L (95% CI, -0.074 to -0.049). Triglycerides increased while cholesterol fractions decreased. At week 48, 104/190 patients (54.7%) had an HBsAg decline of at least 1 log10 and 50/190 (26.3%) had visit-specific HBsAg loss. The concurrent 48-week change correlation was weak (ρ = 0.150; FDR-adjusted P = 0.117), and the magnitude of 25(OH)D decline was not independently associated with either binary endpoint. Within patients, each 10 nmol/L increase in 25(OH)D was associated with a 0.068-log10 IU/mL increase in concurrent HBsAg (95% CI, 0.020 to 0.116; P = 0.006). Serum 25(OH)D showed a non-linear decline during 48 weeks of follow-up, and the week-48 difference remained evident after adjustment for seasonality. However, without a concurrent comparator, the observed change cannot be attributed specifically to Peg-IFN, TAF, or their combination. Exploratory analyses suggested only a weak concurrent relationship between 25(OH)D and HBsAg, without evidence of prediction or causality. The clinical relevance of the observed changes in 25(OH)D and total serum calcium warrants further prospective investigation.

PMID 42876729
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PubMedFrontiers in aging neuroscience2026-10-15

Resting-state cortical alpha frequency in Parkinson's disease and multiple system atrophy: associations with diagnosis, age, and symptom burden.

Chen Daichao D, Tang Huada H, Pan Yanfei Y, Sang Hui H et al.

Parkinson's disease (PD) and multiple system atrophy (MSA) are clinically overlapping neurodegenerative disorders that present with a complex, heterogeneous burden of motor and non-motor symptoms. Resting-state EEG reveals that cortical alpha slowing is a hallmark of pathological aging, yet its specific presence and clinical significance in these distinct synucleinopathies remain incompletely understood. Therefore, precisely quantifying the individual alpha frequency serves as a critical, non-invasive approach to characterize cortical network dysfunction across synucleinopathies and evaluate how aging moderates its association with clinical symptom burden. We analyzed source-reconstructed resting-state EEG data from 104 participants, comprising patients with PD, patients with the parkinsonian (MSA-P) and cerebellar subtypes (MSA-C) of MSA, and healthy controls. To accurately capture oscillatory dynamics, a data-driven masking empirical mode decomposition approach was applied to extract the individual alpha frequency across canonical cortical networks. General linear models tested diagnostic group differences, age-related effects, and age-dependent associations between individual alpha frequency and clinical symptom scores. Relative to healthy controls, both PD and MSA-C exhibited significant lower cortical IAF, whereas MSA-P showed no significant global IAF difference. At the network level, significant reduction of IAF was detected in the visual and dorsal attention networks in both PD and MSA-C. Advancing age independently contributed to alpha slowing across all participants without accelerating the disease-related trajectories. Notably, chronological age significantly moderated the relationship between alpha slowing and non-motor symptoms. In older patients, reduced individual alpha frequency was strongly associated with a higher burden of overall non-motor, autonomic, and psychiatric/cognitive symptoms, a relationship not observed in younger patients or with motor symptom severity. Cortical alpha slowing was detected in PD and MSA-C, but not in MSA-P. Age independently contributes to alpha slowing and strengthens its association with non-motor symptom burden, supporting age-aware interpretation of resting-state electroencephalography biomarkers in synucleinopathies.

PMID 42876674
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PubMedPediatric emergency care2026-10-15

Essentials of Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship: Clinical Updates From the Past Decade.

Kane Ian D ID, Fang Andrea A, Meltzer James A JA, Werner Heidi H et al.

Ten years ago, a comprehensive series of articles was published in Pediatric Emergency Care detailing the state of pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) fellowship education. We intend to provide an update to the clinical elements of fellowship training, with a companion article to follow that will address the nonclinical domains. This article will summarize the core components of fellowship as mandated by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and review significant changes and challenges to fellowship education that have occurred over the past decade. In light of upcoming modifications to fellowship education, including an increased focus on competency-based medical education and the addition of a 2-year, clinically oriented fellowship option, it is vital for stakeholders to be familiar with the core elements of PEM fellowship training as the curriculum is adapted to meet the needs of trainees and their patients.

PMID 42876193
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PubMedFrontiers in immunology2026-10-15

IL-23 and monocyte interactions redirect human Th17.1 cells to an IL-17AhighIFN-γhigh potentially pathogenic profile.

van Heeswijk Bennie B, Razawy Wida W, Davelaar Nadine N, Mus Anne-Marie M C AMC et al.

IL-23-targeted therapies have demonstrated clinical efficacy in psoriatic arthritis (PsA), primarily through the reduction of IL-17A-driven inflammation. Consequently, most studies have focused on classical, high IL-17A-producing, CCR6+CXCR3-CCR4+ Th17 cells. In contrast, the impact of IL‑23 signaling on CCR6+CXCR3+CCR4- Th17.1 cells -traditionally characterized by high IFN-γ and low IL-17A production-remains largely unexplored, despite their recognized pathogenicity in autoimmune disease. The aim of this study was to characterize the effects of IL-23 on human memory Th17.1 cells. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from treatment-naive patients with early PsA were stimulated in the presence of IL-23 or anti-IL-23 antibody before quantifying IL-17A and IFN-γ secretion. Additionally, human memory CCR6- Th1, CCR6+ Th17.1 and CCR6+ Th17 cells from healthy donors were sorted and analyzed ex vivo for IL23R, TBX21 and RORC expression using RT-qPCR. Sorted Th17.1, Th17 and Th1 cells were subsequently cultured alone or cocultured with IL-23-producing monocytes. Cultures received either exogenous IL-23 or IL-23 inhibition before analyzing IL-17A and IFN-γ secretion. As expected, IL-23 stimulation induced IL-17A in PsA PBMCs, whereas IL-23 inhibition reduced IL-17A secretion but did not affect IFN-γ. In healthy donor PBMCs, ex vivo IL-23R expression was restricted to memory CCR6+ Th17 and Th17.1 cells. Remarkably, IL-23 stimulation of Th17.1 cells significantly increased IFN-γ without affecting IL-17A secretion. Compared to monoculture, cocultures with monocytes increased IFN-γ secretion in Th17.1 and classical Th1 cells, and IL-17A secretion in Th17 and Th17.1 cells. Additional IL-23 stimulated IL-17A in both Th17 and Th17.1 cocultures, while unexpectedly reducing IFN-γ in Th17.1 cells. In contrast, IL-23 inhibition reduced IL-17A secretion in Th17 and Th17.1 cells without affecting IFN-γ production. IL-23 exerts distinct effects on Th17.1 compared to Th17 cells. We show a role for IL-23 in IFN-γ upregulation in Th17.1 cells, which is reversed in the presence of monocytes. In co-culture with monocytes, Th17.1 cells progress to a pathogenic IL-17AhighIFN-γhigh profile, which is further elevated by IL-23 stimulation and reduced upon IL-23 neutralization. We show that IL-23 drives Th17.1 plasticity and underscore the therapeutic relevance of neutralizing IL-23 in the suppression of these pathogenic IL-17AhighIFN-γhigh Th17.1 cells.

PMID 42876859
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PubMedInflammopharmacology2026-10-15

Evaluation of the anti-inflammatory potentials of ethanol leaf extract of Vigna unguiculata in Wistar rats.

Adegbuyi Adekunle Theophilus AT, Omoirri Aziakpono Moses AM, Joseph Oyepata Semeon OS, Olanlokun John Oludele JO et al.

Inflammation involves complex biological pathways, notably characterized by the overexpression of cytokines such as IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, and COX-2. Inflammation is the onset of many diseases and its control will prevent several progression and complications of many diseases.This study investigates the anti-inflammatory activity of ethanol leaf extract of Vigna unguiculata in rat models, with emphasis on its effects on serum inflammatory cytokines and acute-phase reactants. Ethanol extract of Vigna unguiculata leaves was prepared and evaluated for anti-inflammatory activity using carrageenan-induced paw edema and egg albumin-induced paw inflammation models in Wistar rats. Serum levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-13, IFN-γ, CRP, and COX-2 were quantified using ELISA after treatment with extract doses of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg. Indomethacin (10 mg/kg) served as the standard control. Phytochemical screening and acute toxicity testing were performed. The extract significantly inhibited paw edema in a dose-dependent manner, with 400 mg/kg showing a 63.2% inhibition at 4 h post-carrageenan injection. Biomarker analysis showed significant decrease of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, IFN-γ, CRP, and COX-2) and increase of anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10 and IL-13) (p < 0.05 vs. control). No signs of toxicity were observed up to 2000 mg/kg. The anti-inflammatory activity of Vigna unguiculata may be attributed to its modulatory effects on cytokines and acute-phase reactants. This validates its traditional use and suggests potential therapeutic benefits in inflammatory diseases.

PMID 42875644
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