GIFT-1, a phase IIa clinical trial to test the safety and efficacy of IFNγ administration in FRDA patients.

Christian Marcotulli, Silvia Fortuni, Gaetano Arcuri, Barbara Tomassini, Luca Leonardi, Francesco Pierelli, Roberto Testi, Carlo Casali; Neurological Sciences pp 1-4 First online: 30 November 2015, DOI: 10.1007/s10072-015-2427-3

IFNγ was generally well tolerated, the main adverse event was hyperthermia/fever. Although, increases in frataxin levels could be detected in a minority of patients, these changes were not significant.
Frataxin levels was mesured in peripheral blood multinuclear cells, this are a cell compartment easily accessible but not involved in the disease, In opinion of the researchers it's questionable if it's a real mirror of what happens in sensory neurons, additional and better biomarkers are needed.