Induction therapy for the management of early relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis. A critical opinion

ABSTRACT

Introduction: The therapeutic approach in multiple sclerosis (MS) is radically changing. From the early stages of MS, a hard-hitting approach to treatment is taken with strong anti-inflammatory drugs being a possible therapeutic option.

Areas covered: The concept of induction therapy is emerging in the MS therapeutic scenario.

Expert opinion: Not all the MS licensed drugs are suitable candidates for induction therapy. The upcoming challenge will be to identify, after a careful and individual assessment of risk/benefit ratio, the ideal patient who is a candidate to such aggressive therapeutic approach.

KEYWORDS:

• Multiple sclerosis
• induction therapy
• inflammation

Declaration of interest

E D’Amico received honoraria for speaking activities from Teva, Serono, Biogen, Novartis, Bayer-Schering. He received travel funding from Teva, Serono, Biogen, Novartis, Bayer-Schering and Roche. T Ziemssen has received reimbursements for participation in scientific advisory boards from Bayer Healthcare, Biogen Idec, Novartis Pharma AG, Merck Serono, Teva, Genzyme, and Synthon. He has also received speaker honorarium from Bayer Healthcare, Biogen Idec, Genzyme, Merck Sharp & Dohme, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis Pharma AG, Teva, Sanofi Aventis, and Almirall. He has also received research support from Bayer Healthcare, Biogen Idec, Genzyme, Novartis Pharma AG, Teva, and Sanofi Aventis. S Cottone has received personal compensation from CIC International for serving as a member of an editorial advisory board; and financial support for research activities from Biogen Dompé. 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.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.