Ameliorant for hepatitis C therapeutic effect and application thereof

Abstract

The present invention provides an ameliorant for enhancing the therapeutic effect of IFN-α on hepatitis C; a therapeutic composition for the treatment of hepatitis C which comprises IFN-α and IFN-γ as active ingredients and further contains a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier; a kit for the treatment of hepatitis C which comprises an IFN-60 preparation and an IFN-γ preparation; and a therapeutic method for the treatment of hepatitis C which comprises administering IFN-α and IFN-γ to a subject at the same time or administering IFN-γ before the administration of IFN-α. The present invention is capable of making the patient continuously HCV-RNA negative and is extremely useful in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C which is intractable with IFN-α and conventionally difficult to remedy.

1 . An ameliorant for enhancing the therapeutic effects of interferon-α on hepatitis C, which comprises interferon-γ as an active ingredient.  
     
     
         2 . The ameliorant for enhancing the therapeutic effect on hepatitis C according to  claim 1 , which is used in an amount of 1 to 100 titers calculated as interferon-γ per 100 titers of interferon-α.  
     
     
         3 . The ameliorant for enhancing the therapeutic effects on hepatitis C according to  claim 1 , wherein the hepatitis C is chronic hepatitis C intractable with interferon-α.  
     
     
         4 . A therapeutic composition for the treatment of hepatitis C, which comprises interferon-α and interferon-γ as active ingredients and further contains a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.  
     
     
         5 . The therapeutic composition for the treatment of hepatitis C according to  claim 4 , which comprises 1 to 100 titers of interferon-γ per 100 titers of interferon-α.  
     
     
         6 . The therapeutic composition for the treatment of hepatitis C according to  claim 4  or  5 , wherein the hepatitis C is chronic hepatitis C intractable with interferon-α.  
     
     
         7 . A kit for the treatment of hepatitis C, which comprises at least a pharmaceutical composition comprising interferon-α as an active ingredient and a pharmaceutical compoistion comprising IFN-γ as an active ingredient.  
     
     
         8 . The kit for the treatment of hepatitis C according to  claim 7 , which is used in such a manner that the pharmaceutical composition comprising interferon-γ as an active component is administered before the administration of the pharmaceutical composition comprising interferon-α as an active ingredient.  
     
     
         9 . The kit for the treatment of hepatitis C according to  claim 7  or  8 , wherein the hepatitis C is chronic hepatitis C intractable with interferon-α.  
     
     
         10 . A therapeutic method for the treatment of hepatitis C, which comprises administering interferon-α and interferon-γ to a subject at the same time or administering interferon-γ before the administration of interferon-α.  
     
     
         11 . A therapeutic method for the treatment of hepatitis C, which comprises administering interferon-γ to a subject before the administration of interferon-α.  
     
     
         12 . The therapeutic method for the treatment of hepatitis C according to  claim 11 , which comprises continuously administering interferon-γ for 2 to 24 weeks and then continuously administering interferon-α for 2 to 24 weeks.  
     
     
         13 . The therapeutic method for the treatment of hepatitis C according to any one of claims  10 - 12 , wherein the hepatitis C is chronic hepatitis C intractable with interferon-α.  
     
     
         14 . Use of interferon-γ for producing an ameliorant capable of enhancing the therapeutic effects of interferon-α on hepatitis C.  
     
     
         15 . The use of interferon-γ according to  claim 14 , wherein the hepatitis C is chronic hepatitis C intractable with interferon-α.  
     
     
         16 . Use of interferon-γ for producing a therapeutic composition for the treatment of hepatitis C, the composition comprising interferon-α and interferon-γ as active ingredients.  
     
     
         17 . The use of interferon-γ according to  claim 16 , wherein the hepatitis C is chronic hepatitis C intractable with interferon-α.