Interferon Therapy

Abstract

Interferon therapy is improved by concomitant administration of an agent which minimizes the ability of interferon to up-regulate expression of Programmed Cell Death Protein 1 (also known as CD279).

I claim: 
     
         1 . A method for improving the efficacy of interferon as a human therapeutic by co-administering interferon with an agent which reverses an immune-suppressive effect of interferon, the method comprising:
 a. administering to a human patient diagnosed with a condition which may be treated with interferon, a first agent which increases the human patient's level of interferon and does so in an amount effective to treat the condition; and   b. administering to the human patient a monoclonal antibody against programmed cell death protein 1, the monoclonal antibody administered in an amount sufficient to reduce the activity of programmed cell death protein 1;   
       whereby the monoclonal antibody counteracts the decrease in immune activity caused by interferon. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , consisting essentially of:
 a. administering to a human patient diagnosed with a condition which may be treated with interferon, a first agent which increases the human patient's level of interferon and does so in an amount: effective to treat the condition; and   b. administering to the human patient a monoclonal antibody against programmed cell death protein 1, the monoclonal antibody administered in an amount sufficient to reduce the activity of programmed cell death protein 1;   
       whereby the monoclonal antibody counteracts the decrease in immune activity caused by interferon. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first agent which increases the human patient's level of interferon comprises exogenously-manufactured interferon polypeptide. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first agent which increases the human patient's level of interferon comprises a gene therapy vector carrying an expressible interferon transgene. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the gene therapy vector carrying an expressible interferon transgene comprises nadofaragene radenovec. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first agent which increases the human patient's level of interferon comprises an interferon-inducing antigen. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the interferon-inducing antigen comprises poly I:C.