Past and Present of Disease-Modifying Treatments in Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

Patients with multiple sclerosis have a lifelong disease for which no cure is currently available. Treatments for MS should demonstrate sustained efficacy to slow or stop the inflammation, demyelination or axonal damage in the central nervous system. The development of interferon beta (IFNB) preparations and glatiramer acetate (GA) as treatments for MS represents a critical milestone in the care of patients with this potentially disabling disease. Interferons for MS have been available in the Turkish market since 1995, and GA - since 1999. Since those days, many clinical trials have been conducted in order to understand the efficacy, safety, tolerability, as well as the adverse effects of IFNB and GA in different clinical courses of the disease and ethnic groups. These studies revealed that IFNBs and GA are efficient and safe therapies as the first-line treatment, particularly for relapsing-remitting MS. Although there are other recently developed drugs, it is expected that IFNBs and GA will continue to be available in the market for patients with MS. Most patients with clinically definite MS and a history of relapses should be considered for treatment with these agents while the search for better agents is ongoing. (Archives of Neuropsychiatry 2011:48 Supplement 2:46-55)