Interferon β-1a and β-1b for patients with multiple sclerosis: updates to current knowledge

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Although multiple sclerosis (MS) remains incurable, interferon beta (IFNβ) has been at the forefront of treatment for many years. Different formulations of IFNβ allow for different levels of exposure: low-dose/frequency with some agents, and high-dose/frequency with others.

Areas covered: This review article discusses existing and emerging efficacy and safety data for IFNβ in MS. Clinical evidence of IFNβ efficacy has been generated and accumulated over many decades. During this time, key clinical trials have demonstrated the benefits of high-dose and/or high-frequency dosing of IFNβ-1a or β-1b, compared with lower levels of exposure, on outcome measures such as relapse rates, disability progression, disease progression and magnetic resonance imaging lesion outcomes.

IFNβ therapy is well tolerated and has one of the best characterized safety profiles of all first line therapies. The overall severity of adverse events (AEs) does not appear to be affected by different IFNβ exposures. Typical AEs that patients may experience with IFNβ are mild, reversible and manageable.

Expert commentary: IFNβ is one of the best characterized treatments for MS, with a large body of clinical and real-world evidence supporting the risk-benefit profile. High-dose/frequency regimens may provide better long-term outcomes.

KEYWORDS:

• Multiple sclerosis
• clinically isolated syndrome
• relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis
• secondary progressive multiple sclerosis
• interferon beta

Declaration of interest

Medical writing assistance was provided by Ash Dunne of inScience Communications, Springer Healthcare, Chester, UK, and supported by Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. UK Zettl has received speaking fees, travel funds and financial support for research activities from Bayer HealthCare, Biogen, Merck Serono, Novartis, Sanofi-Aventis, Almirall and Teva. O Aktas has received advisor fees or honoraria from Almirall, Bayer HealthCare, Biogen, Chugai, Genzyme, Medimmune, Merck Serono, Novartis and Teva. Research support has been received from Bayer HealthCare, Biogen, Genzyme, Novartis and Teva. All activities were approved by the Rector of the Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf. M Hecker has received speaking fees from Bayer HealthCare, Biogen, Novartis and Teva. T Wagner is an employee of Merck Serono GmbH, Darmstadt, Germany; an affiliate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. P Rommer has received advisor fees or honoraria from Biogen, Genzyme, Merck, Novartis, Roche and Shire. Travel grants have been received from Biogen, Genzyme, Novartis, Shire and Teva. Research support has been received from Merck, Roche. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. A reviewer on this manuscript has disclosed they received personal compensation for advisory board and other speaking activities by Almirall, Bayer, Biogen, Celgene, Merck, Novartis, Roche, Sanofi-Genzyme, TEVA. The other two reviewers had nothing to declare.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.