NCI Drug Dictionary
The NCI Drug Dictionary contains technical definitions and synonyms for drugs/agents used to treat patients with cancer or conditions related to cancer. Each drug entry includes links to check for clinical trials listed in NCI's List of Cancer Clinical Trials.
- natural human interferon alpha OPC-18
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A proprietary preparation of natural human interferon alpha (IFN alpha) with potential immunomodulatory and antineoplastic activities. Natural human interferon alpha OPC-18 binds to cell-surface IFN alpha receptors (IFNARs), resulting in the transcription and translation of genes whose products mediate antiviral, antiproliferative, and immune-modulating effects.
IFN alpha is a type I interferon produced by peripheral blood leukocytes or lymphoblastoid cells when exposed to live or inactivated virus, double-stranded RNA, or bacterial products and is the primary interferon produced by virus-induced leukocyte cultures. In addition to its pronounced antiviral activity, it activates NK cells.
Check for active clinical trials using this agent. (NCI Thesaurus)
Synonym: natural interferon alfa Foreign brand name: Alfaferone Code name: OPC-18