Rebif Is the Only Self-Injected Relapsing MS Therapy Proven to Achieve All 3 Important Treatment Goals in Relapsing MS
This was shown in the 2-year PRISMS* study that included 560 people to see how they responded to Rebif 22 mcg or Rebif 44 mcg versus placebo, all given under the skin 3 times a week.
Rebif 44 mcg is proven to work on the 3 important aspects of relapsing MS:
| Slowing disability progression | Rebif 44 mcg was proven to nearly double the time to disability progression (21.3 months with Rebif vs 11.9 months with placebo). |
| Reducing relapse rate |
Rebif 44 mcg was shown to reduce the frequency of relapses on average by 32% versus placebo (1.73 with Rebif vs 2.56 with placebo). |
| Reducing active brain lesions on the studied MRI measures †‡ | Rebif 44 mcg was proven to reduce the median number of T2 active lesions† per patient per scan by 78% versus placebo over 2 years (0.5 with Rebif vs 2.25 with placebo). |
The exact correlation between MRI findings and the current or future clinical status of patients, including disability progression, is unknown.
Before beginning treatment, you should discuss with your doctor the potential benefits and risks associated with Rebif. Let your doctor know if you have a history of depression, seizures, liver disease, thyroid problems, or blood cell count or bleeding problems, or if you have had previous allergic reactions to medications.
*Prevention of Relapses and Disability by Interferon β-1a Subcutaneously in Multiple Sclerosis.
†New or enlarging lesions detected with PD/T2-weighted MRI.
‡Refers to new lesions and total lesion burden or area as defined in the AAN and MS Council guidelines.
Rebif versus Avonex
The EVIDENCE study
The EVIDENCE* study, a head-to-head trial, compared Rebif® (interferon beta-1a) with Avonex® (interferon beta-1a) for an average of 64 weeks. Rebif 44 mcg was given to 339 people 3 times per week just under the skin, at least 48 hours apart. Avonex 30 mcg was given to 338 people once per week into the muscle.
Over 64 weeks, significantly more people taking Rebif 44 mcg versus Avonex 30 mcg:
- Were relapse-free (percentage of people remaining relapse-free—Rebif: 56%; Avonex: 48%)
- Had no new or enlarging lesions† detected on MRI (percentage of people with no new or enlarging lesions—Rebif: 58%; Avonex: 38%)
Rebif is the only relapsing MS treatment proven to work better than another in a class I clinical trial.
* EVIDENCE for Interferon Dose-response: European North American Comparative Efficacy.
†New or enlarging lesions detected with PD/T2-weighted MRI.
Fewer brain lesions with Rebif
Over 64 weeks, significantly more people taking Rebif 44 mcg versus Avonex 30 mcg had no new or enlarging lesions* detected on MRI (percentage of people with no new or enlarging lesions—Rebif: 58%; Avonex: 38%).
The exact correlation between MRI findings and the current or future clinical status of patients, including disability progression, is unknown.
†New or enlarging lesions detected with PD/T2-weighted MRI.
More people were relapse-free with Rebif
In the EVIDENCE study, Rebif reduced the risk of relapses by 30% compared with Avonex.
The data also show that people on Rebif 44 mcg three times per week at least 48 hours apart were more likely to remain relapse-free over the course of the study compared with people on Avonex 30 mcg once per week.
Why change from Avonex to Rebif?
605 people remained at the end of the head-to-head phase of the EVIDENCE study.
A total of 495 people participated in the extension phase of the EVIDENCE study, which lasted an average of 8 months. In the extension phase, all patients were offered the option of either taking Rebif 44 mcg 3 times a week or leaving the study. 73% of those taking Avonex 30 mcg chose to take Rebif 44 mcg, while 91% of those taking Rebif 44 mcg 3 times a week chose to stay on Rebif 44 mcg.
*New or enlarging lesions detected with PD/T2-weighted MRI: 0.9 for patients during their last 6 months on Avonex versus 0.7 after transitioning from Avonex to Rebif
(p = 0.222).
†Annualized relapse rate. Rebif: 0.32; Avonex: 0.64.
†New or enlarging lesions detected with PD/T2-weighted MRI.
People who stayed on Rebif experienced continued reductions in relapse rates
People taking Rebif 44 mcg through the extended phase continued to experience significant reductions in relapses over an average of 8 months.
Compared with Avonex, side effects were generally similar with Rebif despite the higher, more frequent dosing of Rebif
Adverse events occurring more frequently with Rebif 44 mcg
| Avonex 30 mcg qw |
Rebif 44 mcg tiw |
P value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Injection-site disorders | 33% | 85% | <0.001 |
| Hepatic function disorders | 10% | 18% | 0.003 |
| White blood cell disorderss | 5% | 14% | <0.001 |
Rebif: An Effective Treatment with a Well Established Safety Profile
You can feel confident that the safety profile of Rebif is backed by 17 years of clinical trial and patient experience.
Most Common Side Effects
The most common side effects with Rebif are injection-site reactions, flu-like symptoms (fever, chills, muscle aches, tiredness), depression, abdominal pain, increased liver enzymes, and blood cell count decreases. Let your doctor know if you have any of these symptoms or feel sad, tired, hot or cold, or experience hives, rashes, bruising, yellowing of the skin, or a change in body weight (gain or loss).
It's important you inform your doctor or health care provider of any side effects or adverse events that you may have. There may be things you can do to help manage them.
You can get helpful tips by calling MS LifeLines® and speaking to a Nurse Support Specialist.
*Prevention of Relapses and Disability by Interferon β-1a Subcutaneously in Multiple Sclerosis.
