The introduction of Pegasys by the Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche in the Chinese market is bringing hope for the many chronic hepatitis C patients.

Pegasys, considered the world's most advanced anti-viral therapy, has shown the highest recorded sustained virological response (SVR) for monotherapy in hepatitis C. It provides consistent, highly effective seven-day viral suppression with convenient once-weekly dosing.

"Extensive research and trials have demonstrated that Pegasys is up to four times more effective than standard interferon even in the most difficult to treat patients, which are people suffering from liver cirrhosis. What's also critical to physicians and patients alike, is that Pegasys has fewer side effects than conventional combination therapy so patients will be better able to tolerate the medication on their road to recovery. It promises to become the new standard in pegylated interferon therapy," according to Dr. Reichen, chairman of the Department of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Berne.

Conventional interferons have several limitations including low efficacy due to shorter periods of anti-viral activity, three-times-weekly dosing and side effects, which lead to a diminished quality of life for patients.

Pegasys is much more effective than ordinary interferon for genotype 1 virus, which affects more than 80 per cent of the hepatitis C patients in China and the US.

Hepatitis C is a potentially life-threatening viral infection that can lead to liver inflammation, liver disease, cirrhosis or liver cancer. Transmitted primarily through infected blood, approximately 3 per cent of the world's population, or 170 million, is infected with the hepatitis C virus, making hepatitis C more common than the HIV virus.

(Shanghai Star   Sep 4, 2003)