[Phase I study of recombinant human interferon alpha A (Ro 22-8181) in patients with malignant tumors].

A clinical Phase I study of recombinant human interferon alpha A (Ro 22-8181) was performed in patients with malignant tumors; twenty of them received an American product and seven others a domestic product. Both products were administered in single intramuscularly injected doses of 18, 36, 50, 75 and 100 X 10(6)U. Main side effects included fever and influenza-like symptoms (headache, chill/shivering, general fatigue, lumbago), and digestive symptoms (anorexia, nausea/vomiting). Numbness of fingers or limbs and somnolence were also observed in higher dose groups, but these symptoms all disappeared on the day of administration or by the 3rd day after administration. Abnormal laboratory findings included leukopenia, granulocytopenia, lymphocytopenia, thrombocytopenia and increased GOT/GPT/LDH, but these returned to normal by the 10th day after administration. The peak blood concentration was correlated with the dose, falling to the base line 72 hr after administration. The American product and the domestic product were nearly comparable in the type and incidence of their side effects, and also produced generally comparable blood concentrations. Furthermore, increased anti-IFN-alpha antibody titer was not observed in any of the patients; and the Prick Test proved negative in all of them. No significant changes were observed in any immunological parameters, either.