Thymosin α 1 for treatment of hepatitis C virus: promise and proof

Source abstract

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a global public health problem, with chronic infection leading to development of cirrhosis, end‐stage liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Treatment of HCV is suboptimal with overall response rates of slightly greater than 50% when patients are treated with pegylated interferon alfa and ribavirin. Thymosin alpha 1 (Tα1; TA‐1) is an immunomodulatory peptide with intrinsic activities that might improve treatment outcomes for HCV by incorporation of this agent in current treatment paradigms. An extensive body of literature supports a possible role for this agent in difficult to treat populations. However, clinical trials to date have failed to conclusively support the role of TA‐1 in combination interferon‐based therapies. Therefore, the promise of TA‐1 adjunctive therapy for HCV remains, but the proof will require investment in large randomized clinical trials of appropriate patient populations.