Interferon beta-1b

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Interferon beta-1b
Clinical data
Trade namesBetaseron, Actoferon, Extavia
AHFS/Drugs.comMicromedex Detailed Consumer Information
MedlinePlusa601151
License data
Subcutaneous
ATC code
Legal status
Legal status
  • US: ℞-only
  • EU: Rx-only
  • In general: ℞ (Prescription only)
Identifiers
  • Human interferon beta
ECHA InfoCard
100.207.515 Edit this at Wikidata
Chemical and physical data
FormulaC908H1408N246O253S6
Molar mass20011.08 g·mol−1
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Interferon beta-1b is a

interferon beta 1a
, also indicated for MS, with a very similar drug profile.

Mechanism of action

Interferon beta balances the expression of pro- and anti-inflammatory agents in the brain, and reduces the number of inflammatory cells that cross the

blood brain barrier.[1] Overall, therapy with interferon beta leads to a reduction of neuron inflammation.[1] Moreover, it is also thought to increase the production of nerve growth factor and consequently improve neuronal survival.[1]

Side effects

Injectable medications can produce irritation or bruises at injection site. The bruise depicted was produced by a subcutaneous injection.

Interferon beta-1b is available only in injectable forms, and can cause skin reactions at the injection site that may include cutaneous necrosis. Skin reactions vary greatly in their clinical presentation.[2] They usually appear within the first month of treatment albeit their frequence and importance diminish after six months of treatment.[2] Skin reactions are more prevalent in women.[2] Mild skin reactions usually do not impede treatment whereas necroses appear in around 5% of patients and lead to the discontinuation of the therapy.[2] Also over time, a visible dent at the injection site due to the local destruction of fat tissue, known as lipoatrophy, may develop.

lymphopenia) and neutrophils (neutropenia), as well as affect liver function.[2] In most cases these effects are non-dangerous and reversible after cessation or reduction of treatment.[2] Nevertheless, recommendation is that all patients should be monitored through laboratory blood analyses, including liver function tests, to ensure safe use of interferons.[2]

The injection-site reactions can be mitigated by rotating injection sites or by using one of the medications that requires less frequent injections. Side effects are often onerous enough that many patients ultimately discontinue taking Interferons (or glatiramer acetate, a comparable disease-modifying therapies requiring regular injections).

Efficacy

Clinically isolated syndrome

The earliest clinical presentation of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis is the clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), that is, a single attack of a single symptom. During a CIS, there is a subacute attack suggestive of

demyelination but the patient does not fulfill the criteria for diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.[5] Treatment with interferons after an initial attack decreases the risk of developing clinical definite MS.[4][6]

Relapsing-remitting MS

Medications are modestly effective at decreasing the number of attacks in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis

antibodies. Interferon therapy, and specially interferon beta-1b, induces the production of neutralizing antibodies, usually in the second 6 months of treatment, in 5 to 30% of treated patients.[4] Moreover, a subset of RRMS patients with specially active MS, sometimes called "rapidly worsening MS" are normally non-responders to interferon beta-1b.[9][10]

While more studies of the long-term effects of the drugs are needed,[4][11] some data on the effects of interferons indicate that early-initiated long-term therapy is safe and it is related to better outcomes.[11] More recent data suggest that interferon betas does not hasten disability.[12]

Interferon-β exacerbates Th17-mediated inflammatory disease.[13]

Commercial formulations

Betaferon/Betaseron is marketed today by

Berlex in North America), now part of Bayer Pharma. Novartis
has also introduced Extavia, a new brand of interferon beta-1b, in 2009.

References

  1. ^
    S2CID 25516515
    .
  2. ^
    S2CID 30330292
    .
  3. PMID 16253889
    .
  4. ^
    S2CID 195686659
    .
  5. S2CID 36401666
    .
  6. S2CID 362182
    .
  7. PMID 11687131
    .
  8. ^
    S2CID 19618597
    .
  9. S2CID 36392563
    .
  10. S2CID 40367120
    .
  11. ^
    S2CID 16929304
    .
  12. PMID 22797642
    .
  13. PMID 21530402
    .

External links
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Interferon_beta-1b&oldid=1217592570"