Toray Industries (Toray) has obtained approval in Japan to add a new indication to its natural-type interferon beta preparation Feron, for the improvement of viraemia in chronic hepatitis C on concomitant administration with ribavirin. Feron is jointly developed and marketed with Daiichi Sankyo.
Reportedly, it is also used for treatment of glioblastoma (brain tumor) and malignant melanoma of the skin (skin cancer). Subsequently, chronic active hepatitis B, chronic hepatitis C, and compensated cirrhosis type C among other indications were added for the product.
Furthermore, for using the preparations, the ministry of health, labour and welfare of Japan has issued the “2009 Guideline for Standardization of
Therapies against Viral Liver Diseases including Liver Cirrhosis,” recommending a combination therapy of pegylated interferon alpha preparations and ribavirin in intractable cases.