zidovudine + interferon alfa

Zidovudine + interferon alfa is a combination therapy investigated for the treatment of HIV infection and associated conditions such as Kaposi's sarcoma. Zidovudine (AZT) is a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) that acts as a chain terminator to prevent the synthesis of viral DNA by the HIV-1 reverse transcriptase enzyme. Interferon alfa is a cytokine that exerts antiviral effects by inducing host cell enzymes that inhibit viral protein synthesis and promote the degradation of viral RNA, while also enhancing the host immune response through immunomodulatory and antiproliferative activities. This specific combination was evaluated in Phase III clinical trials sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to determine its efficacy in reducing viral load and slowing disease progression in early-stage HIV patients.

Other names

AZT + IFN-alphazidovudine + alpha-interferonzidovudine + interferon alphazidovudine + alpha interferon