nitazoxanide + peginterferon alfa-2b

Nitazoxanide + peginterferon alfa-2b is a combination therapy investigated primarily for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Nitazoxanide is a first-in-class broad-spectrum antiviral agent that blocks maturation of viral hemagglutinin at the post-translational stage and potentiates production of type 1 interferons, which may contribute to its antiviral activity[2][5]. Peginterferon alfa-2b is a synthetic, pegylated form of interferon alpha that binds to human type 1 interferon receptors, activating the JAK/STAT pathway and inducing an innate antiviral response[6]. The combination has been shown in clinical trials to increase rates of rapid virologic response and sustained virologic response compared with standard therapies for HCV[3][5]. Nitazoxanide also modulates double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR) pathways, further enhancing antiviral effects[5].