Product Features
| Rebif® (interferon beta-1a) |
Avonex® (interferon beta-1a) |
Betaseron® (interferon beta-1b) |
Extavia® (interferon beta-1b) |
Copaxone® (glatiramer acetate injection) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A=not applicable. | |||||
| Route of injection | Under the skin | Into the muscle | Under the skin | Under the skin | Under the skin |
| Dosing frequency | 3 times per week | Once per week | Every other day | Every other day | Every day |
| Number of injections per year | 156 | 52 | 182 | 182 | 365 |
| Prefilled, preassembled syringes | Yes | Yes | No (injection requires 14-step prep) |
No (injection requires 14-step prep) |
Yes |
| Auto-injector available | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
No conclusions regarding comparative safety or effectiveness of these products can be drawn from these data.
*After mixing, if not used immediately, the product should be used and refrigerated within three hours.
- Each Rebif injection requires 13 fewer steps than Betaseron and Extavia injections require.
- With Rebif, you have 209 fewer injections per year than you would with Copaxone.
Considering Avonex?
The EVIDENCE study was a head-to-head trial that compared Rebif with Avonex over an average of 64 weeks. Rebif 44 mcg was given to 339 people 3 times a week, 48 hours apart, just under the skin. Avonex 30 mcg wasgiven to 338 people once a 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%)
- 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%)
- Compared with Avonex, side effects were generally similar with Rebif despite the higher, more frequent dosing of Rebif. Differences included:
- People taking Avonex had more flu-like symptoms than those taking Rebif
- People taking Rebif had a greater number of injection-site reactions, elevated liver enzymes, and decreased white blood cell counts
* New or enlarging lesions detected with PD/T2-weighted MRI. The exact correlation between MRI findings and the current or future clinical status of patients, including disability progression, is unknown.
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 tiw 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.
- People who chose to stay in the extension phase of the study and changed from Avonex to Rebif had fewer relapses and brain lesions after just 8 months of Rebif treatment, compared with their last 6 months on Avonex.
- Significant reductions were seen across 2 key treatment measures:
- 22% reduction in active T2 brain lesions*
- 50% reduction in relapses†
- People taking Rebif 44 mcg through the extended phase continued to experience significant reductions in relapses over an average of 8 months.
*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. The exact correlation between MRI findings and the current or future clinical status of patients, including disability progression, is unknown.
†Annualized relapse rate—Rebif: 0.32; Avonex: 0.64.
Certain side effects occurred more frequently in people who changed from Avonex to Rebif: injection-site disorders, increased liver enzymes, and decreased white blood cell counts. These events also occurred more frequently with Rebif posttransition versus prior use of Avonex.
- Avonex is injected into the muscle with a 1¼ inch needle. Rebif is injected with a shorter, ½ inch needle just under the skin.
*A 25-gauge, 1" needle for intramuscular injection may be substituted for the 23-gauge, 1¼" needle by the prescribing physician, if deemed appropriate. The higher the gauge, the thinner the needle. If a 1" needle is substituted, the needle for Rebif would be half the length of the needle for Avonex.
Although needles are shown to scale, they are not actual size.
- Rebif offers an auto-injector, Rebiject II®. Rebiject II has been designed to help make Rebif injections easier than a manual Rebif injection. With the Rebiject II, the needle remains hidden both before and after injecting.
Considering Betaseron?
- The Rebif syringe is preassembled and prefilled. The Betaseron syringe requires assembly and mixing, which involves 13 more steps than Rebif.
- Betaseron must be injected every other day under the skin. With Rebif, you have 26 fewer injections per year than you would with Betaseron, and you have the option of injection-free weekends.
Considering Extavia?
- Extavia is another branded interferon beta-1b, which is identical to Betaseron. No additional clinical trials of Extavia have been conducted.
- Given that Extavia has the same molecular structure, dose and frequency as Betaseron, Extavia is not a new therapeutic advance in the treatment of MS.
Considering Copaxone?
- Copaxone must be injected every single day. With Rebif, you have 209 fewer injections per year than you would with Copaxone.
- The 3-times weekly dosing schedule of Rebif allows for injection-free weekends. Rebif injections should be at least 48 hours apart.
