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Title: Early Treatment With Interferon Beta-1b Can Delay Progression of Multiple Sclerosis

"Early Treatment With Interferon Beta-1b Can Delay Progression of Multiple Sclerosis"

LONDON, UK -- August 3, 2007 -- Early treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with interferon beta-1b can prevent the disabling development of the condition, conclude authors of an article published in this week's edition of [The Lancet.

Professor Ludwig Kappos University Hospital Petersgraben, Basle, Switzerland, and colleagues, as part of the BENEFIT study, did a study of 468 patients who had shown early symptoms of MS.

The study randomised 292 patients to receive 250 mcg interferon beta-1b and 176 to receive placebo, subcutaneously every other day for 2 years, or until they were diagnosed with clinically definite multiple sclerosis (CDMS). After diagnosis of CDMS or completion of 2 years of treatment, the patients were then eligible to enter a follow-up phase to receive interferon beta-1b treatment.

Of the patients originally enrolled, 89% entered the follow-up phase, while 84% completed the 3 years of postrandomisation follow-up (2 years in initial phase, 1 year follow-up phase).

The study measured patients' disability status using the expanded disability status scale and found that early treatment with interferon beta-1b reduced the risk for progression of disability by 40% compared with delayed treatment.

Whilst 51% of patients in the delayed-treatment group developed CDMS, only 37% of the patients who received early treatment with interferon beta-1b developed CDMS. Thus early treatment reduced the risk of developing CDMS by 41%.

The authors conclude: "Our data suggest that early initiation of treatment with interferon-1b prevents the development of confirmed disability, supporting its use after the first manifestation of relapsing-remitting MS."

In an accompanying comment, Dr. Sean Pittock, Mayo Clinic of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota, USA, says: "Kappos and colleagues have set a new standard against which future extension trials will be compared."

He concludes: "The results should, however, be interpreted with care because the magnitude of benefit, although significant, is clinically small. This follow-up should not be misconstrued as evidence for a treat all approach."

SOURCE: The Lancet

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