A randomized comparative clinical trial of recombinant canine interferon-γ (KT-100) in atopic dogs using antihistamine as control

Recombinant canine interferon-gamma (KT-100) or topical antihistamine (diphenhydramine: DH) was administered to dogs with atopic dermatitis (AD) for 4 weeks and their efficacies were compared using pruritus, excoriation, erythema and alopecia as evaluation criteria. Clinical studies on 92 atopic dogs (KT-100 group: 63, DH group: 29) were conducted at 18 animal hospitals in Japan. KT-100 was administered subcutaneously once a day three times a week on alternating days for 4 weeks. DH was administered topically twice daily for 4 weeks. The efficacy rates of the KT-100 group on day 28 were 72.1% for pruritus, 73.8% for excoriation, 75.4% for erythema and 60.7% for alopecia, which were significantly higher than those of the DH group (20.7% for pruritus, 27.6% for excoriation, 24.1% for erythema and 24.1% for alopecia).