Adherence to Disease-Modifying Therapy in Multiple Sclerosis Highest in Subcutaneous Interferon Beta-1a and Glatiramer Acetate: Presented at ENS

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Title: Adherence to Disease-Modifying Therapy in Multiple Sclerosis Highest in Subcutaneous Interferon Beta-1a and Glatiramer Acetate: Presented at ENS
URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/223586.htm
Doctor's Guide
June 10, 2008

By Judith Moser, MD

NICE, France -- June 10, 2008 -- Maintenance of disease-modifying treatment by patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) may differ significantly according to the specific drug, researchers reported here at the 18th Meeting of the European Neurological Society (ENS).

Adherence to a disease-modifying therapy in MS is a prerequisite to achieving maximal treatment benefit.

Randy Bennett, BS, EMD Serono, Inc., Rockland, Massachusetts, and colleagues conducted their study to evaluate treatment adherence and 12-month rates of persistence with treatment among patients initiating one of these therapies between January 2004 and July 2005. The data, presented on June 9, were obtained from a database of a commercially insured population.

The study included 3,195 patients with a mean age of 44.1 years (range 18-64), who had initiated treatment with one of the following: (1) subcutaneous (SC) interferon (IFN) beta-1a; (2) intramuscular (IM) IFN beta-1a; (3) IFN beta-1b SC; (4) glatiramer acetate (GA) SC.

Patients treated with natalizumab were not included due to the fact that this agent had only recently been approved by the time the data were entered into the database.

Patients receiving IFN beta-1a IM and IFN beta-1b SC were significantly older than the participants in the other groups, but all other demographic and clinical characteristics were not significantly different across treatment groups.

After 12 months, treatment persistence was seen in 60.3% of patients treated with IFN beta-1a SC and 60.5% of those treated with GA, respectively, Bennett reported. For IFN beta-1a IM and IFN beta-1b, the numbers were slightly lower (54.9 and 52.9, respectively), which related to a statistical significant difference (P < .03 for both).

Of all patients who persisted at 1 year, 46.7% had a medication possession ratio (MPR) of 85% or greater and were therefore deemed to be compliant with treatment. "These patients had a medication at hand and took it more than 85% of the time," Bennett explained.

Rates of MPR were highest among patients who took IFN beta-1a SC and IFN beta-1a IM (49.7% and 48.1%, respectively). GA was comparable (45.7%), whereas IFN beta-1b ranged lowest (39.8%).

"The dose regimens are different," Bennett noted regarding the reasons for the differences observed. "IFN beta-1a SC is administered 3 times a week, GA every day, IFN beta-1a IM once a week, and IFN beta-1b every other day."

"The chances for the patient to remember a treatment they take every day like GA may be a factor as to whether they are compliant," he said. With a medication that is administered once weekly, the MPR decreases significantly if the patient misses a single dose, he added.

Funding for this study was provided by EMD Serono, Inc., and Pfizer, Inc.

[Presentation title: Comparison of Adherence and Persistence in Patients Initiating Disease-Modifying Therapy of Multiple Sclerosis. Abstract P323]

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