Interferon Alfa 2b and Ribavirin Brand Name– Rebetron
What is Interferon Alfa 2b and Ribavirin
NOTE: Interferon Alfa 2b and Ribavirin is discontinued in the United States.
Rebetron™ is a product that combines Intron® A (recombinant interferon alfa-2b) and Rebetol® (ribavirin).
Ribavirin is a nucleoside analog with antiviral activity. Intron® A is a recombinant interferon alfa product. Rebetron™ therapy is effective in treating hepatitis C in patients who have not received prior interferon therapy for hepatitis C and in patients who have failed previous interferon therapy for hepatitis C. Ribavirin/interferon alfa therapy is considered the treatment of choice in patients with hepatitis C infection.
In a large trial, treatment-naive hepatitis C patients who received the combination therapy for 24 or 48 weeks had a higher rate of sustained virologic response and greater histologic improvement than those patients who received interferon alone for the same treatment duration.
In patients who have relapsed following interferon monotherapy, a greater number of patients treated with the combination of ribavirin and interferon had undetectable levels of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA at the completion of 24 weeks of treatment than those retreated with interferon alone.
Patients who are non-responders to interferon monotherapy respond poorly to Rebetron™ combination therapy.
The FDA approved Rebetron™ in June 1998 for chronic hepatitis C in patients with compensated liver disease who have relapsed following interferon therapy.
In December 1998, the FDA approved Rebetron™ for hepatitis C in patients with compensated liver disease previously untreated with interferon.
Indications
- hepatitis C infection
For combination treatment of chronic hepatitis C infection in patients with compensated liver disease
Side Effects
- alopecia
- anaphylactoid reactions
- angina
- angioedema
- anorexia
- aplastic anemia
- arthralgia
- asthenia
- bronchospasm
- chest pain (unspecified)
- clastogenesis
- depression
- diaphoresis
- dizziness
- dysgeusia
- dyspepsia
- dyspnea
- emotional lability
- fatigue
- fever
- headache
- hearing loss
- hemolytic anemia
- hyperbilirubinemia
- hyperglycemia
- hypertriglyceridemia
- hyperuricemia
- impaired cognition
- infection
- injection site reaction
- insomnia
- irritability
- jaundice
- leukopenia
- musculoskeletal pain
- myalgia
- myocardial infarction
- nausea
- neutropenia
- non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy
- pancreatitis
- pneumonitis
- pruritus
- rash
- red cell aplasia
- sinusitis
- stroke
- suicidal ideation
- teratogenesis
- thrombocytopenia
- tinnitus
- urticaria
- vertigo
- vomiting
- xerostomia
Monitoring Parameters
- CBC with differential
- LFTs
- pregnancy testing
- thyroid function tests (TFTs)
Contraindications
- acute bronchospasm
- alcoholism
- anemia
- angina
- ascites
- autoimmune disease
- bone marrow suppression
- breast-feeding
- cardiac arrhythmias
- cardiac disease
- cerebrovascular disease
- children
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- coagulopathy
- colitis
- contraception requirements
- coronary artery disease
- dental disease
- dental work
- depression
- diabetes mellitus
- diabetic ketoacidosis
- diabetic retinopathy
- dialysis
- driving or operating machinery
- E. coli protein hypersensitivity
- geriatric
- Graves’ disease
- heart failure
- hemoglobinopathy
- hemolytic anemia
- hepatic disease
- hepatitis
- human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection
- hyperlipidemia
- hypertension
- hyperthyroidism
- hypertriglyceridemia
- hypothyroidism
- infection
- intramuscular injections
- jaundice
- leukopenia
- male-mediated teratogenicity
- mania
- menstruation
- myocardial infarction
- neoplastic disease
- neutropenia
- non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy
- ocular disease
- organ transplant
- pancreatitis
- pregnancy
- pregnancy testing
- psoriasis
- psychiatric event
- psychosis
- pulmonary disease
- radiation therapy
- renal failure
- renal impairment
- reproductive risk
- rheumatoid arthritis
- sarcoidosis
- seizure disorder
- sickle cell disease
- stroke
- substance abuse
- suicidal ideation
- systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
- thalassemia
- thrombocytopenia
- thyroid disease
- ulcerative colitis
- urticaria
- visual disturbance
Interactions
- Abacavir
- Abacavir; Dolutegravir; Lamivudine
- Abacavir; Lamivudine, 3TC
- Abacavir; Lamivudine, 3TC; Zidovudine, ZDV
- Aldesleukin, IL-2
- Alemtuzumab
- Alteplase
- Altretamine
- Amprenavir
- Anticoagulants
- Antithrombin III
- Antithymocyte Globulin
- Antitumor antibiotics
- Apixaban
- Argatroban
- Arsenic Trioxide
- Atazanavir
- Atazanavir; Cobicistat
- Azathioprine
- Bacillus Calmette-Guerin Vaccine, BCG
- Basiliximab
- Betrixaban
- Bictegravir; Emtricitabine; Tenofovir Alafenamide
- Bivalirudin
- Carbamazepine
- Chloroquine
- Clozapine
- Corticosteroids
- Dabigatran
- Dalteparin
- Danaparoid
- Darunavir
- Darunavir; Cobicistat
- Darunavir; Cobicistat; Emtricitabine; Tenofovir alafenamide
- Dasabuvir; Ombitasvir; Paritaprevir; Ritonavir
- Delavirdine
- Desirudin
- Diclofenac
- Diclofenac; Misoprostol
- Didanosine, ddI
- Digoxin
- Diphenhydramine; Ibuprofen
- Diphenhydramine; Naproxen
- Dolutegravir; Lamivudine
- Dolutegravir; Rilpivirine
- Doravirine; Lamivudine; Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate
- Edoxaban
- Efalizumab
- Efavirenz
- Efavirenz; Emtricitabine; Tenofovir
- Efavirenz; Lamivudine; Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate
- Elvitegravir; Cobicistat; Emtricitabine; Tenofovir Alafenamide
- Elvitegravir; Cobicistat; Emtricitabine; Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate
- Emtricitabine
- Emtricitabine; Rilpivirine; Tenofovir alafenamide
- Emtricitabine; Rilpivirine; Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate
- Emtricitabine; Tenofovir alafenamide
- Emtricitabine; Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate
- Enoxaparin
- Entecavir
- Esomeprazole; Naproxen
- Estramustine
- Ethanol
- Etodolac
- Etravirine
- Famotidine; Ibuprofen
- Filgrastim, G-CSF
- Fluorouracil, 5-FU
- Flurbiprofen
- Folate analogs
- Fondaparinux
- Fosamprenavir
- Heparin
- Hydrocodone; Ibuprofen
- Hydroxyurea
- Ibritumomab Tiuxetan
- Ibuprofen
- Ibuprofen; Oxycodone
- Ibuprofen; Pseudoephedrine
- Imatinib
- Indinavir
- Influenza Virus Vaccine
- Intranasal Influenza Vaccine
- Ketoprofen
- Ketorolac
- Lamivudine, 3TC
- Lamivudine, 3TC; Zidovudine, ZDV
- Lamivudine; Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate
- Lansoprazole; Naproxen
- Lepirudin
- Live Vaccines
- Lomustine, CCNU
- Lopinavir; Ritonavir
- Measles Virus; Mumps Virus; Rubella Virus; Varicella Virus Vaccine, Live
- Measles/Mumps/Rubella Vaccines, MMR
- Meclofenamate Sodium
- Mefenamic Acid
- Meloxicam
- Melphalan
- Methotrexate
- Methoxsalen
- Mitoxantrone
- Nabumetone
- Naproxen
- Naproxen; Pseudoephedrine
- Naproxen; Sumatriptan
- Natural Antineoplastics
- Nelfinavir
- Nevirapine
- Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors
- Ombitasvir; Paritaprevir; Ritonavir
- Oxaprozin
- Palifermin
- Pegfilgrastim
- Pemetrexed
- Penicillamine
- Pentosan
- Pexidartinib
- Piroxicam
- Pralatrexate
- Protease inhibitors
- Purine analogs
- Reteplase, r-PA
- Rilpivirine
- Riluzole
- Ritonavir
- Rivaroxaban
- Rotavirus Vaccine
- Rubella Virus Vaccine Live
- Saquinavir
- Smallpox and Monkeypox Vaccine, Live, Nonreplicating
- Smallpox Vaccine, Vaccinia Vaccine
- Stavudine, d4T
- Streptokinase
- Sulindac
- Talimogene Laherparepvec
- Tbo-Filgrastim
- Telbivudine
- Tenecteplase
- Theophylline, Aminophylline
- Thrombolytic Agents
- Tinzaparin
- Tipranavir
- Tolmetin
- Tositumomab
- Tretinoin, ATRA
- Tuberculin Purified Protein Derivative, PPD
- Typhoid Vaccine
- Urokinase
- Varicella-Zoster Virus Vaccine, Live
- Vigabatrin
- Warfarin
- Yellow Fever Vaccine, Live
- Zalcitabine, ddC
- Zidovudine, ZDV
