Patients treated with interferon beta (IFNb) who have experienced loss of efficacy due to the development of neutralizing antibodies, had a significant delay in time to first relapse following switch to Copaxone. In addition, patients who were switched to Copaxone experienced reduction in mean annual relapse rate compared to Pre IFNb treatment. Results from this retrospective comparative study were presented at the 23rd Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) in Prague.

"The development of NAbs occurs in up to 30 percent of RRMS patients treated with IFNb therapy and has been shown to impair the therapeutic effectiveness of IFNb therapies," said Dr Antonio Bertolotto, Centro Riferimento Regionale Sclerosi Multipla (CReSM) and Laboratorio di Neurobiologia Clinica, Ospedale Universitario San Luigi, Orbassano, Italy. "In our MS Centre patients with NAbs persistently positive and without IFNb biological activity measured by MxA (Myxovirus A) mRNA (Messenger Ribonucleic Acid) and with a Relapse Rate/year of 1 or less where switched to Copaxone. These data suggest that physicians should discontinue IFNb treatment in patients who test positive for NAbs and that they should strongly consider switching patients to Copaxone, as it improves clinical measures of disease activity".

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is the leading cause of neurological disability in young adults. It is estimated that 400,000 people in the United States are affected by this disease, and that over one million people are affected worldwide. MS is a progressive, demyelinating disease of the central nervous system affecting the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves.

Patients with MS may experience physical symptoms and/or cognitive impairments, including weakness, fatigue, ataxia, physical dysfunction, bladder and bowel problems, sensory effects, and visual impairment. MS also has a significant impact on the sufferers' social functioning and overall quality of life.

Current data suggest Copaxone (glatiramer acetate injection) is a selective MHC (Major Histocompatability Complex) class II modulator. Copaxone is indicated for the reduction of the frequency of relapses in RRMS. The most common side effects of Copaxone are redness, pain, swelling, itching, or a lump or an indentation at the site of injection, weakness, infection, pain, nausea, joint pain, anxiety, and muscle stiffness.