To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: Higher Dose Of Rebif Delays Progression Of Disability In Multiple Sclerosis URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/83B4E.htm Doctor's Guide June 9, 1998
NICE, FRANCE -- June 9, 1998 -- Treatment with high doses of Rebif (interferon beta-1a) has for the first time significantly delayed disability progression in multiple sclerosis patients at high risk of disease progression, delegates to the European Neurological Society's annual meeting in Nice were told today. The breakthrough was reported in an abstract from the PRISMS (Prevention of Relapses and Disability by Interferon beta-1a, Subcutaneously in Multiple Sclerosis) study presented by Lance Blumhardt, professor of clinical neurology at the University of Nottingham. "Results of the PRISMS Study bring new hope to neurologists and people who suffer from MS," Blumhardt said. "Over time, most patients will experience some degree of disability, but the findings from the PRISMS study suggest that those at highest risk of becoming rapidly disabled require higher doses of interferon beta-1a than are currently used, in order to stabilise their disease and prevent further deterioration." The PRISMS data indicate that those patients at greatest risk for progressing to secondary-progressive MS are characterised by: a clinical disability score of EDSS greater than 3.5 (moderately severe disability); greater burden of disease (BOD) levels according to MRI (magnetic resonance imaging); the occurrence of more frequent and severe exacerbations; and a disease duration of at least seven years. In addition, they have a generally more aggressive state of disease and are unlikely to respond to currently available therapies. The PRISMS data suggest that these patients may require higher doses of interferon therapy to delay the more marked progression that is associated with SPMS. Data from the cohort of 94 high EDSS patients showed interferon beta-1a at the higher dose (132 mcg/weekly) to be the first treatment to delay the progression of disability in MS patients with greater disability, tripling the time to progression of disability from seven to 21 months and more than halving the number of relapses (60 percent reduction) compared to placebo treatment. In addition, the high dose dramatically reduced the BOD and disease activity as revealed by MRI. In this cohort, relapses were more than 2.5 times more likely in the placebo group than in the higher dose group. The PRISMS trial was first presented at the annual meeting of the American Neurological Association in September of 1997 and was the first MS trial to show efficacy on all major outcome measures using data from all treated patients at two doses of interferon beta-1a. In total, 560 patients were treated with interferon beta-1a or placebo, subcutaneously, three times a week for two years. The study involved 22 MS centres in nine countries across three continents, including North America. The PRISMS study, the largest randomised, placebo-controlled trial completed in relapsing-remitting MS, also clearly demonstrated that treatment with doses of interferon beta-1a as high as 132 mcg per week were safe and well tolerated. More than two million people have MS. It is a chronic, debilitating disease of the central nervous system and is the most common cause of disability in young adults. Recent data from trials such as PRISMS suggest new therapies like interferon beta-1a may beneficially affect the long-term course of MS. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1999 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of P\S\L content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of P\S\L. P\S\L shall not be liable for any errors, omissions or delays in this content or any other content on its sites, newsletters or other publications, nor for any decisions or actions taken in reliance on such content. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This news story was printed from *Doctor's Guide to the Internet* located at http://www.docguide.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to News Story Page This site is maintained by webmaster@pslgroup.com Please contact us with any comments, problems or bugs. All contents Copyright (c) 1998 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved.