Is β-interferon a promising therapeutic option for the management of hepatitis C?

Using interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) as the conventional therapeutic antiviral drug, physicians generally achieve a treatment success of <50% in cases with chronic hepatitis C. Owing to the structural similarities between IFN-alpha and interferon-beta (IFN-beta), the latter is a candidate for obtaining sustained viral response. In this review, we have compiled the published information on the use of IFN-beta for the management of acute and chronic hepatitis C up to 2007. We have looked at the rates of success and side effects. IFN-beta might be helpful if IFN-alpha fails to achieve a favourable outcome. This antiviral drug may be helpful for the management of chronic hepatitis C in both age extremes, in case of a relapse after receiving IFN-alpha and for preventing the development of the carrier state after acute hepatitis C. Further studies are required on the efficacy of IFN-beta for the management of acute and chronic hepatitis C.