Compare injectable MS treatments

There are two ways to treat multiple sclerosis (MS). One is to treat MS symptoms. The other is to treat the underlying disease to reduce the number of flare-ups and slow the progression of physical disability.

Before making any changes to your MS treatment, you should fully explore your options with your healthcare provider. He or she can recommend the best MS treatment for you.

Since not all MS treatments have the same effect on the underlying disease, it is important to choose an MS treatment that is proven to slow the progression of physical disability AND reduce flare-ups (relapses).

Compare injectable MS treatments:

^* People with MS in whom effectiveness has been demonstrated include people who have experienced a first attack and have lesions consistent with MS on their MRI.
Please see the patient Medication Guide.

All MS treatments are administered by injection. But there's a difference in the type of injections and how often they are given. AVONEX requires just one injection per week, while all other MS treatments require multiple injections (from three to seven per week).

Other therapies use subcutaneous (SC), or under-the-skin, injections. AVONEX has a low incidence (3%) of injection-site reactions and that may be due to the fact that AVONEX is an intramuscular (IM) injection. AVONEX is the only intramuscular MS treatment.

MS Treatments and neutralizing antibodies
Some people can develop resistance to their MS treatment, which can stop working over time. This can happen if their bodies make antibodies, called neutralizing antibodies. These antibodies neutralize (or inactivate) their MS treatment. Although the significance of neutralizing antibodies is not fully understood, it is thought that they can make MS treatment lose its effectiveness over time.

AVONEX has a low risk of developing neutralizing antibodies. In recent studies, only 5% of people taking AVONEX had detectable levels of neutralizing antibodies after one year.

In another study looking at the different antibody rates, AVONEX showed a low risk (2%) of developing neutralizing antibodies.

The rate of neutralizing anti-bodies with Betaseron ranges from 16.5% to 45% depending on the clinical trial.

The clinical significance of neutralizing antibodies to interferon beta therapy is not fully understood.

Neutralizing antibodies have become such an important issue with MS treatment that a group of leading MS experts agreed that each treatment’s potential for leading to the development of neutralizing antibodies should be an important consideration in determining whether or not to recommend it. Talk with your healthcare provider about neutralizing antibodies and how they affect your MS treatment.

AVONEX is an effective treatment against MS, but like all MS treatments, there are common side effects. Read the Important Safety Information about AVONEX to learn more.

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