Why was peginterferon alfa-2b discontinued?

The manufacturer [voluntarily discontinued](https://www.fda.gov/media/93466/download) peginterferon alfa-2b for business reasons. It wasn't taken off the market for safety concerns.

Pegintron

peginterferon alfa-2b

Used for Hepatitis C

Basics FAQs Dosage Interactions Prices Medicare

Peginterferon alfa-2b is an injectable medication used for treating chronic (long term) hepatitis C (Pegintron). It's also used to prevent melanoma, or skin cancer, (Sylatron) from coming back after surgery. Both brands have been discontinued and are no longer available in the United States.

Reviewed by:

Kristianne Hannemann, PharmD

Daisy Chau, PharmD

Last reviewed on March 30, 2022

Basics FAQs Dosage Interactions Prices Medicare

What is Peginterferon alfa-2b?

Are you looking for information on Intron A (interferon alfa-2b) instead?

Drug facts

Common BrandsPegintron(brand no longer available)

Drug ClassBiologic

Controlled Substance ClassificationNot a controlled medication

Generic StatusNo lower-cost generic available

AvailabilityDiscontinued

Common questions about Peginterferon alfa-2b

Peginterferon alfa-2b is a biologic that activates your body's natural immune system to fight off the hepatitis C virus. The way it works to prevent melanoma from coming back after surgery (Sylatron) isn't fully known.

No, peginterferon alfa-2b has been discontinued and is no longer available in the United States.

The manufacturer voluntarily discontinued peginterferon alfa-2b for business reasons. It wasn't taken off the market for safety concerns.

Pegintron and Sylatron both contain man-made forms of interferon alfa-2b which are injected under the skin. The main difference is that Pegintron is used to treat people with long-term hepatitis C, and Sylatron is used to prevent melanoma from coming back after surgery. The amount of medication used and how often it's used is different depending on the condition you're treating.

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Peginterferon alfa-2b dosage

Typical dosage for Peginterferon alfa-2b

Interactions between Peginterferon alfa-2b and other drugs

Peginterferon alfa-2b may interact with certain medications or supplements. Always let your doctor and pharmacist know about any other medications or supplements (including prescribed and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and dietary or herbal supplements) that you are currently taking. The list below does not include all possible drug interactions with Peginterferon alfa-2b. Please note that only the generic name of each medication is listed below.

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.

Thioridazine

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.