Randomized study of once-weekly interferon beta-1la therapy in relapsing multiple sclerosis: three-year data from the OWIMS study.

Background: Once weekly interferon beta-1a for multiple sclerosis (OWIMS) demonstrated modest, but significant, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) benefit of once-weekly (qw) interferon (IFN) beta-1a at 48 weeks, but no significant effect on relapses.

Objective: An OWIMS extension permitted assessment of longer-term efficacy/safety of qw IFN beta-1a in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

Methods: Placebo patients were rerandomized to IFN beta-1a, 22 or 44 mcg qw, for two additional 48-week intervals. Primary outcome was MRI lesion activity. Relapse rate and other MRI measures were secondary outcomes.

Results: After three years, median (mean) T2 lesion count/patient/scan was 1.3 (2.6) for 44 mcg, 1.7 (3.3) for 22 mcg, 1.7 (3.4) for placebo/22 mcg, 2.0 (3.6) for placebo/44 mcg (all differences not significant). Annualized relapse rates were lowest for 44 mcg (0.77) versus other groups (0.83-0.86, not significant). Persistent neutralizing antibodies did not affect relapse rates, but MRI active lesions were increased in antibody-positive patients receiving 44 mcg compared to antibody negative patients.

Conclusions: In RRMS, once weekly IFN beta-1a, particularly 44 mcg, can induce a significant MRI, but not relapse, effect, compared with placebo. No significant dose effect was seen. In contrast to the significant effect observed with three-times-weekly dosing of subcutaneous IFN beta-1a compared with placebo, this study confirms the lack of meaningful clinical benefit with once-weekly dosing.