Clinical Studies of an Interferon Inducer, Polyriboinosinic-Polyribocytidylic Acid [Poly (I) * Poly (C)], in Children

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Abstract
Fifteen children ranging in age from one and one-half to 14 years received intravenous polyriboinosinic-polyribocytidylic acid [poly (I) • poly (C)], an interferon inducer. The patients all had serious neurologic illness either directly or circumstantially related to viral infection. Peak titers of interferon in serum ranged from 8 to 500 units/ml in re~ponse to doses of poly (I) • poly (C) of 0.1–1.0 mg/kg. Serum interferon persisted for ⩽24 hr after induction. Hyporesponsiveness to a second dose of poly (I) • poly (C) persisted for seven days after initial induction, after which time full response again occurred. The half-life of poly (I) • poly (C) in plasma as measured in three patients was <30 min. Poly (I) • poly (C) appears to be safe when given intravenously, but the low titers of interferon induced may limit its clinical usefulness as an antiviral drug.