The treatment of cancer patients with human lymphoblastoid interferon. A comparison of two routes of administration.

Highly purified human lymphoblastoid interferon (HLBI) derived from virus-stimulated Namalwa cells was administered by 6-h IV infusion or IM injection to 40 patients with a variety of disseminated malignancies refractory to standard therapy. Each patient received doses escalating from 0.1 to 50 X 10(6) U for up to 5 weeks. Extensive monitoring for clinical effect, toxicity, and pharmacokinetics has revealed higher peak serum interferon levels and somewhat more pronounced systemic toxicity for the IV than for the IM route of administration. Objective evidence of tumor regression was observed in two patients receiving HLBI IV.