Feron (interferon-beta-1b) / Daiichi Sankyo - LARVOL DELTA

[VIRTUAL] Use of Non-funded Drugs in advanced haematological malignancies (BSH 2021) - "The drugs used included decitabine (n = 4), venetoclax either on its own or in combination with azaci- tidine, decitabine or cytarabine (n = 7), Lenalidomide (n = 6), Midostaurin (n = 3), Ibrutinib (n = 1), Mylotarg (n = 1) and Inter- feron (n = 1). Any potential benefit needs to be weighed up against the toxicity of treatment, impact on quality of life and the true cost to the hospital and healthcare service. A patient-centred approach is key."

Acute Myelogenous Leukemia • Hematological Malignancies • Infectious Disease • Lymphoma • Neutropenia • Oncology • Septic Shock • Solid Tumor

[VIRTUAL] Experience with Pegasys in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasm (BSH 2021) - "Prior studies have shown that inter- feron alfa leads to improvement in JAK2 V617F and CALR driver mutation burdens...15 patients were started on Pegasys as first line treat- ment, 8 patients were previously on venesection, 12 patients on pre- vious cytoreductive therapy (hydroxycarbamide/anagrelide) and 6 other patients were on interferon alpha which were discontinued...Gradual dose titration, careful patient selection and efficient management of side effects can increase efficacy and tolerability of Pegasys. Patients with high risk disease may need combination treatment with JAK2 inhibitors such as Ruxolitinib, this however needs further clinical trials for evaluation"

Clinical • Anemia • Fatigue • Hepatology • Musculoskeletal Pain • Myelofibrosis • Myeloproliferative Neoplasm • Neutropenia • Oncology • Pain • Polycythemia Vera • Thrombocytosis • CALR • TMB

Is the New Interferon-Gamma Releasing Assay Beneficial for the Diagnosis of Latent and Active Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infections in Tertiary Care Setting? (PubMed, J Clin Med) - "We compared the performance of a newly developed IGRA, the Standard E TB-Feron ELISA (TBF) with the currently used QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus assay (QFT-Plus) for the detection of latent tuberculosis infections (LTBIs) in tertiary care settings...Therefore, TBF would be a useful alternative to current IGRAs such as the QFT-Plus, particularly in tertiary care settings where the immunocompromised patients are subjected to IGRA tests to differentiate MTB infection. Further strategies to analyze the implications of the discrepancies, particularly near the cutoff values between different IGRAs, are needed."

Journal • Infectious Disease • Respiratory Diseases • Tuberculosis • CD8 • IFNG

[VIRTUAL] Retrospective analysis of the combined treatment of vincristine, ACNU, carboplatin and interferon-β plus radiotherapy (VAC-feron-R)in patients with diffuse astrocytoma (SNO 2020) - "Compared with previous clinical studies, VAC-feron-R showed a favorable clinical outcome in diffuse astrocytoma. The impact of TERTp status on prognosis was identified but not IDH status in this cohort."

Retrospective data • Astrocytoma • Oncology • Solid Tumor • IDH1 • TERT

Serological and molecular evidence of Mycobacterium bovis in dairy cattle and dairy farm workers under the intensive dairy production system in Egypt. (PubMed, J Appl Microbiol) - "This study revealed that the use of RT or TB-Feron as an ancillary test of SCT reactor cows resulted in a significant reduction in the SCT false-positive slaughtered cows. A high prevalence of M. bovis infection among farm workers provides evidence of occupational risk in the intensive dairy production system in Egypt."

Journal • Infectious Disease • Tuberculosis

[VIRTUAL] Comparative results of the QuantiFERON laboratory test with a skin test containing the recombinant protein CFP-10-ESAT-6 and a Mantoux test with 2 TE in children with chronic non-specific lung diseases and tuberculosis. (ERS 2020) - "Objective: to compare the results of a skin test with a recombinant tuberculosis allergen (ATR) and a laboratory test for assessing the production of gamma interferon (Quanti FERON-TB) in children and adolescents with chronic non-specific lung diseases (COPD) and respiratory TB... The sensitivity and specificity of the samples with ATR and QFT are 95% and 95.4%, respectively. The specificity of the Mantoux test - 70%."

Clinical • Asthma • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease • Infectious Disease • Interstitial Lung Disease • Movement Disorders • Otorhinolaryngology • Pneumonia • Respiratory Diseases • Tuberculosis

[VIRTUAL] THE ROLE OF VITAMIN C IN THE TREATMENT OF PAIN: ANALGESIA IN CANCER PATIENTS (WIP 2020) - "Preliminary studies have shown that high doses of VC reduce biomarkers of inflamma- tion such as C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor, inter- feron-c and interleukins [1]... The literature is scarce with the use of this drug. This review focuses on a fresh perspective on VC and its analgesic properties, proving to be a potential therapeutic target in CP."

Clinical • Pain • Solid Tumor • CRP • TNFA

Impact of a switch to fingolimod versus staying on glatiramer acetate or beta interferons on patient- and physician-reported outcomes in relapsing multiple sclerosis: post hoc analyses of the EPOC trial. (PubMed) - "FSS scores were found to be superior for fingolimod versus remaining on subcutaneous interferon beta-1a and interferon beta-1b, BDI-II scores were significantly improved for fingolimod except for the comparison with intramuscular interferon beta-1a, and SF-36 scores were superior with fingolimod compared with remaining on interferon beta-1b (MCS and PCS; p =0.030 and p =0.022, respectively) and subcutaneous interferon beta-1a (PCS only; p =0.024). Mean CGI-I scores were superior with fingolimod when compared with continuing treatment with any of the iDMTs (all p <0.001).ConclusionsAfter 6months, a switch to fingolimod showed superiority compared with remaining on each iDMT for a range of patient- and physician-reported outcomes, including global satisfaction with treatment."

Journal • Biosimilar • Hematological Malignancies • Immunology • Inflammation • Multiple Sclerosis • Oncology

Evaluation of STANDARD E TB-Feron ELISA for the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection in healthcare workers. (PubMed, J Clin Microbiol) - "TBF showed a comparable and acceptable clinical performance in detecting LTBI comparing to QFT-GIT. TBF represents a useful alternative tool of ELISA-based IGRA, especially in large-scale LTBI screening in HCWs."

Journal • Preclinical • Infectious Disease • Tuberculosis

Adherence to Disease Modifying Drugs among Patients with Multiple Sclerosis in Germany: A Retrospective Cohort Study. (PubMed) - "Two years after initiating MS-modifying therapy, only 30-40% of patients were adherent to DMDs."

Journal • Biosimilar • Multiple Sclerosis

[VIRTUAL] Evaluation of STANDARD E TB-Feron ELISA for the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection in healthcare workers (ECCMID 2020) - No abstract available

Infectious Disease • Tuberculosis

Betaferon Use in Children and Adolescents With Multiple Sclerosis (clinicaltrials.gov) - P=N/A; N=70; Completed; Sponsor: Bayer

New trial • Biosimilar • Multiple Sclerosis

PLENO Study Design: An Open-label, Randomised, 24-week Safety and Tolerability Study in Portuguese Patients with Relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis Transitioning from Subcutaneous Interferon-beta to Peginterferon Beta-1a (EAN 2017) - "Eligible patients 18-65 years old must have a diagnosis of RRMS, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score between 0 and 5.0, ≥6 months of treatment with either SC IFN beta-1b or SC IFN beta-1a, and be eligible for switching therapy as determined by the investigator. Results of this study will describe whether patients who switch to peginterferon beta-1a experience improvements in AEs and clinical outcome measures, to help inform treatment decisions."

Clinical • CNS Disorders • Multiple Sclerosis

BetaSleep: Investigating the Relationship Between Sleep, Quality of Life,Other Disorders and Therapies in MS Patients on Betaferon (clinicaltrials.gov) - P4; N=138; Active, not recruiting; Sponsor: Bayer; Phase classification: P=N/A ➔ P4

Phase classification • Biosimilar • Multiple Sclerosis

Selection of the cutoff value on tuberculin skin test in diagnosing tuberculosis infection: a population-based cross-sectional study in Eastern China (PubMed, Zhonghua Liu Xing Bing Xue Za Zhi) - " Fasting blood glucose test, TST and Quanti FERON-TB (QFT) Gold In-Tube test were administered to recruit participants at the baseline stage...When the participants were divided into groups as nondiabetics, confirmed diabetics, undiagnosed diabetics, the sensitivities and specificities appeared as 0.701, 0.837, 0.824 and 0.805, 0.821, 0.778 with induration diameters as 11.25 mm, 10.25 mm and 11.25 mm, respectively. Findings of this study confirmed that the specificity of tuberculin test could be significantly improved by using 10-12 mm as the cutoff value for diagnosing the latent tuberculosis infection."

Clinical • Journal • Observational data • Immunology • Infectious Disease • Tuberculosis

Study Evaluating Betaferons Safety and Tolerability In Pediatric Patients With Multiple Sclerosis (clinicaltrials.gov) - P=N/A; N=68; Active, not recruiting; Sponsor: Bayer; Trial primary completion date: Dec 2015 ➔ May 2016

Trial primary completion date • Biosimilar • Multiple Sclerosis

Patient satisfaction with the BETACONNECT™ autoinjector for interferon beta-1b. (PubMed) - "The vast majority of patients rated the BETACONNECT™ device as very helpful or helpful for their treatment with interferon beta-1b, and many considered most features as "very important". In conclusion, usage of the BETACONNECT™ autoinjector may facilitate interferon beta-1b therapy and support adherence to long-term therapeutic regimen."

Journal • Biosimilar • Multiple Sclerosis

Comparison study of QuantiFERON test with tuberculin skin testing to diagnose latent tuberculosis infection among nurses working in teaching hospitals of Ahvaz, Iran. (PubMed) - Caspian J Intern Med - "Diagnostic value of QFT is similar to TST, when there is strong clinical and epidemiological evidence of LTB in a nurse with negative TST, adding QFT to diagnostic evaluation is associated with increased rate of LTB diagnosis."

Journal • Biosimilar • Immunology

17 - year adherence to interferon beta-1b treatment in patients with multiple sclerosis (ECTRIMS 2018) - "Only 38% MS patients were persistent to INFB-1b treatment during 17 year exposure. Lack of efficacy (patient's opinion) was the main reasons for stopping treatment, despite a good safety profile."

Clinical • Biosimilar • Multiple Sclerosis

Predictors of disease activity in 857 patients with MS treated with interferon beta-1b. (PubMed) - "By contrast, age, MRI activity, and the presence of neutralizing antibodies in the first year were principally predictive of future MRI activity. In patients with continued clinical disease activity or substantial MRI activity on therapy, an alternative therapeutic approach should be strongly considered."

Journal • Biosimilar • Multiple Sclerosis

Evaluation of systemic inflammatory responses in cholecystectomy by means of access. Single-port umbilical incision, transvaginal NOTES, laparoscopy and laparotomy. (PubMed) - Acta Cir Bras - "The single-port umbilical and transvaginal NOTES access approaches were feasible and safe compared to laparoscopic and laparotomy for cholecystectomy."

Journal • Biosimilar • Inflammation

Targeted Therapy and Immunotherapy for Melanoma in Japan. (PubMed, Curr Treat Options Oncol) - "A recently completed phase II trial of nivolumab and ipilimumab combination therapy in 30 Japanese patients with melanoma, including seven with acral and 12 with mucosal melanoma, demonstrated an objective response rate of 43%. Regarding oncolytic viruses, canerpaturev (C-REV, also known as HF10) and talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC) are currently under review in early phase trials. In the adjuvant setting, dabrafenib plus trametinb combination, nivolumab monotherapy, and pembrolizumab monotherapy were approved in July, August, and December 2018 in Japan, respectively...A phase III trial of adjuvant therapy with locoregional interferon (IFN)-β versus surgery alone is ongoing in Japan (JCOG1309, J-FERON), in which IFN-β is injected directly into the site of the primary tumor postoperatively, so that it would be drained through the untreated lymphatic route to the regional node basin...In conclusion, acral and mucosal melanomas have been treated based on the available..."

IO Biomarker • Journal • Review

Localized Radiation Therapy or Recombinant Interferon Beta and Avelumab With or Without Cellular Adoptive Immunotherapy in Treating Patients With Metastatic Merkel Cell Carcinoma (clinicaltrials.gov) - P1/2; N=8; Active, not recruiting; Sponsor: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center; Recruiting ➔ Active, not recruiting; N=20 ➔ 8; Trial primary completion date: Jul 2019 ➔ Jun 2022

Clinical • Combination therapy • Enrollment change • Enrollment closed • Trial primary completion date

Localized Radiation Therapy or Recombinant Interferon Beta and MSB0010718C With or Without Cellular Adoptive Immunotherapy in Treating Patients With Metastatic Merkel Cell Carcinoma (clinicaltrials.gov) - P1/2; N=20; Not yet recruiting; Sponsor: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

Clinical • Combination therapy • New P1/2 trial

Viral Oncoprotein Targeted Autologous T Cell Therapy for Merkel Cell Carcinoma (clinicaltrials.gov) - P1/2; N=4; Terminated; Sponsor: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center; Active, not recruiting ➔ Terminated; Trial primary completion date: Dec 2016 ➔ May 2016; A Phase I/II study (NCT01758458) is now recruiting

Trial primary completion date • Trial termination