Interferon alfa-2a 18million units/0.5ml solution for injection pre-filled syringes
Interferon a (human leukocyte protein moiety reduced).
Official documents, adverse reaction reporting, and safety monitoring
Report a side effect
Submit a Yellow Card report to the MHRA
Official medicine documents
Safety monitoring data
Yellow Card reports
The MHRA Yellow Card scheme collects reports of suspected side effects from healthcare professionals and patients. View the Drug Analysis Profile (iDAP) for real-world adverse reaction data.
View Drug Analysis Profile
Browse all Drug Analysis Profiles A–Z
Browse all iDAP reports
Interactive Drug Analysis Profiles for all medicines
Report a side effect
Submit a Yellow Card report to the MHRA
Data from the MHRA Yellow Card scheme. A reported reaction does not necessarily mean the medicine caused it. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
EudraVigilance
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) collects suspected adverse reaction reports from across the EU/EEA through the EudraVigilance system. Search for safety data on this medicine.
View EudraVigilance report
Suspected adverse reactions reported for Interferon alfa-2a
About EudraVigilance
Learn about EU pharmacovigilance and safety monitoring
EudraVigilance data is published by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). A suspected adverse reaction is not necessarily caused by the medicine.
1 branded products available
MHRA licensed products
View all licensed products for Interferon alfa-2a on the MHRA register
Roferon-A 18million units/0.5ml solution for injection pre-filled syringes
WHO defined daily dose (DDD)
2 mega unit
Not a recommended dose. The DDD is the assumed average maintenance dose per day for a drug used for its main indication in adults. It is a statistical measure used for research and comparison purposes only.
Source: WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Statistics Methodology, distributed via the NHS dm+d supplementary BNF/ATC mapping files (NHSBSA). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Therapeutically similar medicines
Similarity is based on WHO Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification and on a factual NHS dm+d therapeutic-grouping code prefix. Source data: NHS dm+d via TRUD (OGL v3.0), WHO ATC/DDD Index.
NHS prescribing volume and spending trends
Guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
NICE clinical guidance(9)
Adefovir dipivoxil and peginterferon alfa-2a for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B (TA96)
Interferon alfa (pegylated and non-pegylated) and ribavirin for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C (TA75)
Hepatitis B (chronic): diagnosis and management (CG165)
Peginterferon alfa and ribavirin for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C (TA200)
Peginterferon alfa and ribavirin for treating chronic hepatitis C in children and young people (TA300)
Entecavir for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B (TA153)
Peginterferon alfa and ribavirin for the treatment of mild chronic hepatitis C (TA106)
Sofosbuvir for treating chronic hepatitis C (TA330)
Bulevirtide for treating chronic hepatitis D (TA896)
Source: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Check stock at pharmacies and supply information
Pharmacy stock checkers
Search for this medicine at major UK pharmacy chains. These links open the retailer's own website — results depend on their current online catalogue.
Supply & safety information
Official UK regulator monitoring and safety alerts
Pharmacy links redirect to the retailer's own search and do not represent real-time stock levels. Shortage and safety information sourced from MHRA drug safety updates (gov.uk, Crown Copyright under OGL v3.0).
Codes for healthcare professionals and prescribing systems
These codes are used by healthcare IT systems and prescribers to identify this medicine.
NHS UK identifiers
Browse tools
SNOMED CT and dm+d codes from NHS TRUD (Technology Reference data Update Distribution), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. BNF code shown is the factual mapping value distributed by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) in the dm+d supplementary file under OGL v3.0; it is not affiliated with, nor licensed from, the publishers of the British National Formulary. ATC codes from the WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Statistics Methodology (whocc.no).
Active and completed clinical studies from ClinicalTrials.gov
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health (NIH). Data accessed via ClinicalTrials.gov API v2. Trial information is provided for research purposes and does not constitute medical advice.
Academic studies and reviews for this medicine's active substance
Showing the 50 most relevant studies.
Reviews & meta-analyses: 5 · Randomised trials: 16 · 1989–2026
Showing the 50 most relevant studies, sorted by most relevant.
Bernard Escudier, A Płużańska, P. Koralewski, et al.
The Lancet, 2007
- Bevacizumab
- Interferon alpha-2
- Antibodies, Monoclonal
Ira M. Jacobson, Gregory J. Dore, Graham R. Foster, et al.
The Lancet, 2014
- Simeprevir
- Antiviral Agents
- Genotype
Michael P. Manns, Patrick Marcellin, Fred Poordad, et al.
The Lancet, 2014
- Simeprevir
- Interferon alpha-2
- Antiviral Agents
Bernard Escudier, Cezary Szczylik, Thomas E. Hutson, et al.
Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2009
- Sorafenib
- Interferon alpha-2
- Antineoplastic Agents
Seppo Pyrhönen, Eeva Salminen, Mirja Ruutu, et al.
Journal of Clinical Oncology, 1999
- Interferon alpha-2
- Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols
- Carcinoma, Renal Cell
Kris V. Kowdley, Eric Lawitz, Israel Crespo, et al.
The Lancet, 2013
- Sofosbuvir
- Antiviral Agents
- Polyethylene Glycols
Edward T. Creagan, Robert J. Dalton, David L. Ahmann, et al.
Journal of Clinical Oncology, 1995
- Interferon alpha-2
- Canada
- Combined Modality Therapy
Jens Atzpodien, Hartmut Kirchner, Udo Jonas, et al.
Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2004
- Immunotherapy
- Interferon alpha-2
- Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols
Tom Solomon, Nguyen Minh Dung, Bridget Wills, et al.
The Lancet, 2003
- Interferon alpha-2
- Antiviral Agents
- Encephalitis, Japanese
Ulrich Keilholz, S.H. Goey, Cornelis J.A. Punt, et al.
Journal of Clinical Oncology, 1997
- Interferon alpha-2
- Antineoplastic Agents
- Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols
Sources: aggregated from Europe PMC (EMBL-EBI), OpenAlex, Crossref, PubMed and other open scholarly databases. Retracted articles are excluded. Study information is provided for research purposes and does not constitute medical advice.
Pharmacology and chemical data from DrugBank
Key facts
Drug status
Approved
Major interactions
None known
Half-life
6 hours
Mechanism
Interferon alpha binds to type I interferon receptors (IFNAR1 and IFNAR2c) which…
Food interactions
1 warning
Human targets
2 targets
Data: DrugBank · CC BY-NC 4.0
Pharmacokinetics at a glance
Absorption
80%
Half-life
6 hours
Volume of distribution
0.223 to 0.748 L/kg
Elimination
Clearance
2.14 - 3.62 mL/min/kg
Pharmacokinetic data: DrugBank · CC BY-NC 4.0
Known interactions with other medications. Always consult a healthcare professional.
Showing 50 of 696 interactions
How the body processes this drug — absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination
Proteins and enzymes this drug interacts with in the body
PMID:10049744 PMID:14532120 PMID:15337770 PMID:2153461 PMID:21854986 PMID:24075985 PMID:31270247 PMID:33252644 PMID:35442418 PMID:7813427
Type I interferon binding activates the JAK-STAT signaling cascade, resulting in transcriptional activation or repression of interferon-regulated genes that encode the effectors of the interferon response .
PMID:10049744 PMID:21854986 PMID:7665574
Mechanistically, type I interferon-binding brings the IFNAR1 and IFNAR2 subunits into close proximity with one another, driving their associated Janus kinases (JAKs) (TYK2 bound to IFNAR1 and JAK1 bound to IFNAR2) to cross-phosphorylate one another .
PMID:21854986 PMID:32972995 PMID:7665574 PMID:7813427
The activated kinases phosphorylate specific tyrosine residues on the intracellular domains of IFNAR1 and IFNAR2, forming docking sites for the STAT transcription factors .
PMID:21854986 PMID:32972995 PMID:7526154 PMID:7665574 PMID:7813427
STAT proteins are then phosphorylated by the JAKs, promoting their translocation into the nucleus to regulate expression of interferon-regulated genes .
PMID:19561067 PMID:21854986 PMID:32972995 PMID:7665574 PMID:7813427 PMID:9121453
Can also act independently of IFNAR2: form an active IFNB1 receptor by itself and activate a signaling cascade that does not involve activation of the JAK-STAT pathway (By similarity)
PMID:10049744 PMID:10556041 PMID:21854986 PMID:26424569 PMID:28165510 PMID:32972995 PMID:7665574 PMID:7759950 PMID:8181059 PMID:8798579 PMID:8969169
Type I interferon binding activates the JAK-STAT signaling cascade, resulting in transcriptional activation or repression of interferon-regulated genes that encode the effectors of the interferon response .
PMID:10049744 PMID:17517919 PMID:21854986 PMID:26424569 PMID:28165510 PMID:32972995 PMID:7665574 PMID:7759950 PMID:8181059 PMID:8798579 PMID:8969169
Mechanistically, type I interferon-binding brings the IFNAR1 and IFNAR2 subunits into close proximity with one another, driving their associated Janus kinases (JAKs) (TYK2 bound to IFNAR1 and JAK1 bound to IFNAR2) to cross-phosphorylate one another .
PMID:10556041 PMID:11682488 PMID:12105218 PMID:21854986 PMID:32972995
The activated kinases phosphorylate specific tyrosine residues on the intracellular domains of IFNAR1 and IFNAR2, forming docking sites for the STAT transcription factors (STAT1, STAT2 and STAT) .
PMID:11682488 PMID:12105218 PMID:21854986 PMID:32972995
STAT proteins are then phosphorylated by the JAKs, promoting their translocation into the nucleus to regulate expression of interferon-regulated genes PMID:12105218 PMID:28165510 PMID:9121453
Enzymes involved in drug metabolism — important for understanding drug interactions
ATC L03AB04
Chemical identifiers
CAS, UNII, InChI Key and database cross-references
Show
Chemical identifiers
CAS, UNII, InChI Key and database cross-references
Linked compound data from DrugBank Open Data (CC BY-NC 4.0)
Interferon alfa-2a
Additional database identifiers
Drugs Product Database (DPD)
1746
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:5432
GenAtlas
IFNAR1
GeneCards
IFNAR1
GenBank Gene Database
J03171
GenBank Protein Database
306914
Guide to Pharmacology
1723
UniProt Accession
INAR1_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:5433
GenAtlas
IFNAR2
GeneCards
IFNAR2
GenBank Gene Database
L42243
GenBank Protein Database
995300
UniProt Accession
INAR2_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:2596
GenAtlas
CYP1A2
GeneCards
CYP1A2
GenBank Gene Database
Z00036
Guide to Pharmacology
1319
UniProt Accession
CP1A2_HUMAN
DrugBank citations
If you use DrugBank data in your research, please cite the following publications:
Show earlier publications
Structured knowledge from the free knowledge base
ATC classifications (Wikidata)
Linked open data from Wikidata (Q20801761), a free and open knowledge base operated by the Wikimedia Foundation. Data is available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication.