Good results for early treatment of clinically isolated syndrome prior to multiple sclerosis with interferon beta-1b and glatiramer group

The first sign of developing multiple sclerosis is a clinically isolated syndrome that resembles a multiple sclerosis relapse. Objective/methods: The objective was to review the clinical trials of two medicines in clinically isolated syndromes (interferon β and glatiramer acetate) to determine whether they prevent progression to definite multiple sclerosis. In the BENEFIT trial, after 2 years, 45% of subjects in the placebo group developed clinically definite multiple sclerosis; the rate was lower in the interferon β-1b group. All subjects were then offered interferon β-1b, and the original interferon β-1b group became the early-treatment group and the placebo group became the delayed-treatment group. After 5 years, the number of subjects with clinical definite multiple sclerosis remained lower in the early-treatment than in the late-treatment group. In the PreCISe trial, after 2 years, the time for 25% of the subjects to convert to definite multiple sclerosis was prolonged in the glatiramer group. Interf...