Skip to main content
. 2011 Feb 16;2011(2):CD003993. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD003993.pub3

3. Synthetic thymic peptides: survival, response, toxicity.

Study Survival rates Tumour response Toxicity (no. of patients)
OS DFS CR PR Grade 3/4 neutropenia Grade 3/4 infection
Maio 2010 At 1 year: 
 IG1 (IFN ɑ+1.6 mg thymosin α1): 39/97 (40%)
 IG2 (IFN ɑ+3.2 mg thymosin α1): 36/97 (37%)
 IG3 (IFN ɑ+6.4 mg thymosin α1): 45/98 (46%)
 IG4 (3.2 mg thymosin α1)*: 38/99 (39%)
total IG (IG1‐3): 120/292 (41%)
 CG (IFN ɑ): 33/97 (34%)		 At 1 year#: 
 IG1: 4/97 (4%)
 IG2: 10/97 (10%)
 IG3: 3/98 (3%)
 IG4*: 10/99 (10%)
 total IG (IG1‐3): 17/292 (5%)
 CG: 0/97 Best response within 12 months (measured at various time points): 
 IG1: 2/97 (2%)
 IG2: 3/97 (3%)
 IG3: 2/98 (3%)
 IG4*: 2/99 (2%)
total IG (IG1‐3): 7/292 (2%)
 CG: 0/97		 IG1: 5/97 (5%)
 IG2: 7/97 (7%)
 IG3: 4/98 (4%)
 IG4*: 10/99 (10%)
 total IG (IG1‐3): 16/292 (5%)
 CG: 4/97 (4%) n.r.
Cheng 2004 After a median time of survival in IG of 10 months§: 
 IG: 9/18 (50%)
 CG: 9/23 (39%) At 1 year: 
 IG: 3/18 (17%)
 CG: 3/23 (13%)(n.s.) n.r. n.r.
Gebbia 1994 n.r. n.r.  n.r. (ANC<1,000/mm² and fever>38°C)
 IG1 (thymopentin): 12/23 (52%) IG2 (thymopentin+G‐CSF): 4/22 (18%)
 IG1+IG2: 16/45 (36%)
 CG1 (placebo): 18/28 (64%)
 CG2 (G‐CSF): 5/23 (22%)
 CG1+CG2: 23/51 (45%)
Gish 2009 At 6 months 
 IG: 12/14 (86%)
 CG: 7/11 (64%) n.r. Best response within 18 months (measured at various time points): 
 IG: 0/14
 CG: 0/11 IG: 2/14 (14%)
 CG: 2/11 (18%) n.r.  (severe bacterial infections)
 IG: 0/14
 CG: 4/11 (36%)
At 12 months 
 IG: 9/14 (64%)
 CG: 7/11 (64%)
At 2 years 
 IG: 8/14 (57%)
 CG: 5/11 (45%)
GISOT 1987 After 3 months mean observation time: 
 IG: 432/447 (97%)
 CG:197/203 (97%)
 (P = 0,068, chi²) n.r. n.r.  n.r.
Schulof 1985 After 1 year#:
 IG1 (maintenance therapy): 8/15 (53%)
 IG2 (loading dose): 4/13 (31%)
 CG: 1/13 (8%) After 1 year#: 
 IG1: 3/15 (20%)
 IG2: 4/13 (31%)
 CG: 0/13 n.r. n.r.

Abbreviations: # survival rates extracted from Kaplan‐Meier curves, § survival rates estimated from median survival times, * not included in metaanalysis; CR: complete remission, PR: partial remission, SD: stable disease, NC: no change, PD: progressive disease