Last reviewed 2026-05-20 · How we verify

Pegylated Interferon α2

Sheikh Zayed Medical College · Phase 3 active Small molecule ✓ Verified May 2026

Pegylated Interferon α2 is a Interferon Small molecule drug developed by Sheikh Zayed Medical College. It is currently in Phase 3 development for Chronic hepatitis C, Chronic hepatitis B, Certain malignancies (melanoma, lymphoma). Also known as: Unipg.

Pegylated Interferon α2 activates innate immune responses by binding to interferon-alpha receptors, enhancing antiviral and anti-proliferative activity.

Pegylated Interferon α2 is a protein-based treatment used to study and treat various conditions, including Hepatitis C, Hepatitis C Relapse, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C Virus Infection. It is often used in combination with other treatments, such as Ribavirin or nucleos(t)ide analogues, as part of clinical trials to evaluate its effectiveness in these conditions.

Likelihood of approval

59.3% vs 58.3% industry baseline

If approved by FDA: likely 2028–2030

Steps remaining: NDA/BLA submission

Confidence: High

Why this estimate

Baseline phase 3 → approval rate +58.3pp
Industry-wide phase 3 drugs reach approval ~58.3% of the time (BIO/Informa 2023 industry benchmark across all therapeutic areas).
Immunology slight uplift +1.0pp
Mature endpoint landscape (ACR, DAS28, PASI) makes immunology approvals slightly more predictable.

Predicted approval windows by jurisdiction (conditional on FDA approval)

Regulator	Country	Likely year	Lag vs FDA
FDA	US	2028–2030	—
EMA	EU	2029–2031	+0.7 yr
MHRA	GB	2029–2031	+0.7 yr
Health Canada	CA	2029–2032	+0.9 yr
TGA	AU	2029–2032	+1.2 yr
PMDA	JP	2029–2032	+1.5 yr
NMPA	CN	2030–2033	+2.3 yr
MFDS	KR	2029–2032	+1.4 yr
CDSCO	IN	2029–2033	+1.8 yr
ANVISA	BR	2030–2033	+2.3 yr

Hover any row for the lag rationale. Lag estimates are reduced when the drug has FDA Breakthrough or EMA PRIME designation (sponsors file globally in parallel).

Estimate based on the BIO/Informa industry phase transition rates plus per-drug modifiers for therapeutic area, sponsor type, FDA designations, mechanism, and trial design. Per-jurisdiction lags from Tufts CSDD international approval studies. Not investment, clinical or regulatory advice. Methodology: /methodology#likelihood.

At a glance

Generic name	Pegylated Interferon α2
Also known as	Unipg
Sponsor	Sheikh Zayed Medical College
Drug class	Interferon
Target	Interferon-alpha receptor (IFNAR)
Modality	Small molecule
Therapeutic area	Immunology
Phase	Phase 3

Mechanism of action

Interferon α2 is a cytokine that binds to type I interferon receptors on cell surfaces, triggering JAK-STAT signaling pathways that upregulate antiviral genes and enhance natural killer cell and macrophage activity. Pegylation extends the drug's half-life by reducing renal clearance and proteolytic degradation, allowing for less frequent dosing while maintaining therapeutic levels. This mechanism makes it effective against viral infections and certain malignancies.

Approved indications

Chronic hepatitis C
Chronic hepatitis B
Certain malignancies (melanoma, lymphoma)

Common side effects

Flu-like symptoms (fever, chills, fatigue)
Headache
Myalgia
Depression/mood changes
Thrombocytopenia
Neutropenia
Elevated liver enzymes

Key clinical trials

Primary sources

Every claim on this page is sourced from regulatory or scientific primary sources. See our editorial policy for full methodology.

Source	Used for
ClinicalTrials.gov	Trial enrolment, design, endpoints, results

Competitive intelligence

For the full competitive landscape — auto-detected comparators, recent regulatory actions across the set, upcoming PDUFA, patent timeline, sponsor landscape:

Pegylated Interferon α2 CI brief — competitive landscape report
Pegylated Interferon α2 updates RSS · CI watch RSS
Sheikh Zayed Medical College portfolio CI

Frequently asked questions about Pegylated Interferon α2

What is Pegylated Interferon α2?

Pegylated Interferon α2 is a Interferon drug developed by Sheikh Zayed Medical College, indicated for Chronic hepatitis C, Chronic hepatitis B, Certain malignancies (melanoma, lymphoma).

How does Pegylated Interferon α2 work?

Pegylated Interferon α2 activates innate immune responses by binding to interferon-alpha receptors, enhancing antiviral and anti-proliferative activity.

What is Pegylated Interferon α2 used for?

Pegylated Interferon α2 is indicated for Chronic hepatitis C, Chronic hepatitis B, Certain malignancies (melanoma, lymphoma).

Who makes Pegylated Interferon α2?

Pegylated Interferon α2 is developed by Sheikh Zayed Medical College (see full Sheikh Zayed Medical College pipeline at /company/sheikh-zayed-medical-college).

Is Pegylated Interferon α2 also known as anything else?

Pegylated Interferon α2 is also known as Unipg.

What drug class is Pegylated Interferon α2 in?

Pegylated Interferon α2 belongs to the Interferon class. See all Interferon drugs at /class/interferon.

What development phase is Pegylated Interferon α2 in?

Pegylated Interferon α2 is in Phase 3.

What are the side effects of Pegylated Interferon α2?

Common side effects of Pegylated Interferon α2 include Flu-like symptoms (fever, chills, fatigue), Headache, Myalgia, Depression/mood changes, Thrombocytopenia, Neutropenia.

What does Pegylated Interferon α2 target?

Pegylated Interferon α2 targets Interferon-alpha receptor (IFNAR) and is a Interferon.

Drug class: All Interferon drugs
Target: All drugs targeting Interferon-alpha receptor (IFNAR)
Manufacturer: Sheikh Zayed Medical College — full pipeline
Therapeutic area: All drugs in Immunology
Indication: Drugs for Chronic hepatitis C
Indication: Drugs for Chronic hepatitis B
Indication: Drugs for Certain malignancies (melanoma, lymphoma)
Also known as: Unipg

Primary sources · FDA · ClinicalTrials.gov · EMA · SEC EDGAR · ChEMBL · Wikidata · full sourcing