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Background: Subcutaneous peginterferon beta-1a has previously been shown to reduce the number of T2-hyperintense and gadolinium-enhancing (Gd+) lesions over 2 years in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), and to reduce T1-hypointense lesion formation and the proportion of patients showing evidence of disease activity, based on both clinical and radiological measures, compared with placebo over 1 year of treatment. The objectives of the current analyses were to evaluate T1 lesions and other magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures, including whole brain volume and magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) of normal appearing brain tissue (NABT), and the proportions of patients with no evidence of disease activity (NEDA), over 2 years.Methods: Patients enrolled in the ADVANCE study received continuous peginterferon beta-1a every 2 or 4 weeks for 2 years, or delayed treatment (placebo in Year 1; peginterferon beta-1a every 2 or 4 weeks in Year 2). MRI scans were performed at baseline and Weeks 24, 48, and 96. Proportions of patients with NEDA were calculated based on radiological criteria (absence of Gd + and new/newly-enlarging T2 lesions) and clinical criteria (no relapse or confirmed disability progression) separately and overall.Results: Peginterferon beta-1a every 2 weeks significantly reduced the number and volume of T1-hypointense lesions compared with delayed treatment over 2 years. Changes in whole brain volume and MTR of NABT were suggestive of pseudoatrophy during the first 6 months of peginterferon beta-1a treatment, which subsequently began to resolve. Significantly more patients in the peginterferon beta-1a every 2 weeks group compared with the delayed treatment group met MRI-NEDA criteria (41% vs 21%; odds ratio [OR] 2.56; p < 0.0001), clinical-NEDA criteria (71% vs 57%; OR 1.90; p < 0.0001) and achieved overall-NEDA (37% vs 16%; OR 3.09; p < 0.0001).Conclusion: Peginterferon beta-1a provides significant improvements in MRI measures and offers patients a good chance of remaining free from evidence of MRI, clinical and overall disease activity over a sustained 2-year period.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00906399 ; Registered on: May 20, 2009. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Efficacy of interferon beta in multiple sclerosis (MS) can be dampened in patients who develop neutralizing antidrug antibodies (NAbs). Peginterferon beta1a is an interferon conjugated with a polyethylene glycol (PEG) moiety. Pegylation increases a drug’s half life and exposure, and may also reduce immunogenicity. Objective: The objective of this study was to characterize the incidence and impact of immunogenicity to peginterferon beta1a over 2 years in patients with MS. Methods: Patients with relapsing–remitting MS (N = 1512) were randomized to subcutaneous peginterferon beta1a 125 μg every 2 or 4 weeks, or placebo, for 1 year; patients in the placebo group were rerandomized to active treatment in year 2. The incidence and titers of binding antibodies (BAbs) and NAbs to interferon and antibodies to PEG (anti-PEG) were assessed in analytically validated assays. The clinical impact of immunogenicity on relapse and magnetic resonance imaging endpoints was evaluated. Results: Over 2 years, 6%, less than 1%, and 7% of patients developed anti-interferon BAbs, NAbs, and anti-PEG antibodies, respectively. There was no discernible clinically meaningful effect of antibody status on the pharmacodynamic, efficacy, or safety parameters evaluated, although these analyses were limited by the low incidence of treatment-emergent antibodies. Conclusion: The treatment effect of peginterferon beta1a in patients with relapsing–remitting MS is not expected to be attenuated by immunogenicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims To evaluate the pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) of subcutaneous peginterferon beta-1a in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis ( RRMS) in the phase 3 ADVANCE study ( n = 1512). Methods During year 1, patients were randomized (1:1:1) to placebo or peginterferon beta-1a 125 μg every 2 or 4 weeks. After year 1, patients randomized to placebo were re-randomized to 125 μg peginterferon beta-1a administered every 2 weeks or every 4 weeks for year 2. Patients randomized to peginterferon beta-1a in year 1 remained on the same dosing regimen in year 2. Intensive blood samples for PK and PD (neopterin elevation; a biomarker of pharmacological activity induced by interferon beta-1a) measurements were collected from 44 patients pre-dosing and at intervals over 240 h post-dosing at weeks 4 and 24. Sparse samples were collected from all patients after each dosing at weeks 4, 12, 24, 56 and 84. Results The PK profile of peginterferon beta-1a did not change over time or between dosing regimens. No accumulation was observed. Peak serum concentrations were reached 1-1.5 days post-dosing, with a mono-phasic decline and a median half-life of approximately 2-3 days. Dosing every 2 weeks provided approximately two-fold greater monthly cumulative area under the curve than every 4 weeks. Neopterin elevation was sustained for 10−14 days following each dose, indicating doubled cumulative duration of pharmacological activity for dosing every 2 weeks vs. every 4 weeks. Conclusions These PK/PD profiles potentially explain the enhanced efficacy of dosing every 2 weeks in patients with RRMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peginterferon beta-1a was efficacious in a Phase 3 relapsing multiple sclerosis trial, and its safety profile was consistent with other beta interferons. This study evaluated the impact of renal impairment on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics (neopterin elevation; a biomarker of pharmacological activity induced by interferon beta-1a) of peginterferon beta-1a following a single subcutaneous dose at 63 μg (n = 5) or 125 μg (n = 30). The results showed a fractional increase in area-under-the-concentration-time curve (AUC [30-53%]) and peak serum concentration (Cmax [26-42%]) in subjects with mild, moderate, and severe renal impairment, versus healthy subjects; AUC and Cmax were similar for healthy subjects and end-stage-renal-disease patients receiving hemodialysis. Pharmacokinetic simulation showed that the steady state concentration overlapped in the majority of healthy subjects and subjects with severe renal impairment. Neopterin baseline, peak concentration, and AUC increased as renal function decreased. Peginterferon beta-1a was well tolerated in all groups. These results do not warrant peginterferon beta-1a dose adjustment in subjects with renal impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]