Family · Pharmaceutical analytical standards

Interferon

A family of proteins that cells produce to defend themselves against viruses, named because they "interfere" with viral replication; described in London in 1957 by Alick Isaacs and Jean Lindenmann, they have been used as medicines since 1986 for hepatitis, multiple sclerosis and some cancers. This family brings together other impurities.

Did you know?Until 1980 they were scarce and very expensive: the breakthrough came when the interferon gene was inserted into bacteria, making it far more available.