Interleukin-2 (IL-2)



Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is a substance occuring naturally in the body, that is responsible for the function and proliferation of immune cells. This factor is reduced early during the course of HIV-disease. A pioneer study has been conducted at the Department of Dermatology and Venereology at the University of Essen, where over the course of one year a total of 64 patients have been treated subcutaneously (syringes being injected under the skin like diabetics inject their insulin) with Interleukin-2. The goal of this trial was to assess the tolerability and to define the optimal dosing interval of IL-2 therapy. The study has been completed and showed excellent tolerability with general symptoms such as fever, weakness and indurations at the injection sites being the most severe side effects. Important immunological parameters such as CD4-counts showed a significant improvement. Surprisingly, some patients showed a reduction of viral load in lymph nodes and plasma.

As the trial showed, patients with concomitant hepatitis B or C could also receive Interleukin-2 without the occurrence of side-effects. Usually, a viral hepatitis is aggrava-ted through the intake of additional drugs to be metabolized by the liver.

From a clinical standpoint, complications such as infections of the skin by herpes and thrush were counted much less frequently in individuals treated with IL-2 in comparison to those without IL-2 treatment.


first studie IL-2


Following these promising results, the findings will be verified in an international, multicenter trial in the U.S. and Europe with the participation of 1400 patients, that started in April '99.

More information about the studies mentioned in this page is available upon request. You can also ask for the original medical paper about IL-2 that has been published in the journal "AIDS" in 1998.

          info@jk-aids-stiftung.de