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Hepsera vs. Intron A

Head-to-head comparisons of medication uses, side effects, warnings, and more.

Key takeaways

Adefovir (Hepsera) and interferon alfa-2b (Intron A) are both used to treat chronic hepatitis B, but they belong to different medication classes. Adefovir is an oral antiviral medication known as a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI). Interferon alfa-2b was an injectable biologic, but it is no longer available in the U.S. Adefovir can cause side effects like weakness, headache, and stomach pain, and it has a risk of causing lactic acidosis and kidney problems.

Adefovir

(Hepsera)

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Intron A

(interferon alfa-2b)

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Summary for Hepsera

Prescription only

Adefovir (Hepsera) is an antiviral medication that's used for the treatment of hepatitis B in people age 12 and older. It's not a first-choice treatment option because the virus can become resistant to adefovir (Hepsera), meaning the medication might stop working well over time. Adefovir (Hepsera) is available as a brand-name and generic tablet that's typically taken once daily. Some side effects of the medication can include weakness, headache, and stomach pain.

Indications for Hepsera

  • Hepatitis B virus (HBV)

Pros and Cons for Hepsera

Pros

  • Only need to take once a day
  • Can take with or without food
  • Available as a lower-cost generic

Cons

  • Not a first-choice medication to treat hepatitis B
  • High risk of viral resistance to the medication
  • Might cause buildup of lactic acid in the blood (lactic acidosis)

Common Side Effects for Hepsera

  • Weakness or lack of energy (13%)
  • Headache (9%)
  • Stomach pain (9%)
  • Nausea (5%)

Warnings for Hepsera

  • Worsening of hepatitis B after stopping treatment
  • Hepatitis B and HIV co-infection
  • Kidney problems
  • Lactic acidosis and liver problems

Summary for Intron A

Discontinued

Intron A (interferon alfa-2b) is an injectable medication that's used to treat various types of cancer and viral infections. Depending on the condition, this medication can be injected into the muscle, under the skin, into a vein, or into an area of skin growth. Intron A (interferon alfa-2b) has been discontinued by the manufacturer and is no longer available in the United States. Your healthcare provider will help guide you to other treatment options.

Indications for Intron A

Certain cancers:

  • Hairy cell leukemia
  • Melanoma
  • Follicular lymphoma
  • Kaposi's sarcoma in people with AIDs (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome)

Certain viral infections:

  • Genital warts
  • Chronic (long-term) hepatitis B and C

Pros and Cons for Intron A

Pros

Cons

Prices with our coupons for Hepsera vs. Intron A

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Adefovir3 bottles / 30 tablets of 10mg
$759.30-
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Price Card Drug Icon
Intron A1 vial / 3.8ml of 3 million IU/0.5ml
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