Rebif versus Avonex
The EVIDENCE study
The EVIDENCE‡ study, a head-to-head trial, compared Rebif® (interferon beta-1a) with Avonex® (interferon beta-1a) for an average of 64 weeks. Rebif 44 mcg was given to 339 people 3 times per week just under the skin, at least 48 hours apart. Avonex 30 mcg was given to 338 people once per week into the muscle.
- Reducing MRI lesion activity
- Preventing relapses
Rebif is the only relapsing MS treatment proven to work better than another in a class I clinical trial.
Fewer brain lesions with Rebif
58% of people taking Rebif had no new brain lesions on MRI, compared with only 38% of people taking Avonex.
The exact correlation between MRI findings and the current or future clinical status of patients, including disability progression, is unknown.
Fewer relapses with Rebif
In the EVIDENCE study, Rebif reduced the risk of relapses by 30% compared with Avonex.
The data also shows that people on Rebif 44 mcg three times per week at least 48 hours apart were more likely to remain relapse-free over the course of the study compared with people on Avonex 30 mcg once per week.
Why change from Avonex to Rebif?
Of the 605 people who completed the head-to-head phase of the EVIDENCE study, 73% of people taking Avonex and 91% of people taking Rebif chose to take Rebif 44 mcg in the extension phase of the study (n = 495), which lasted an average of 8 months.
Compared with their last 6 months on Avonex, relapse rates and the number of new T2 brain lesions were reduced for people switching from Avonex to Rebif 44 mcg. People who continued on Rebif 44 mcg also experienced continued reductions in relapse rates.
*New or enlarging lesions detected with PD/T2-weighted MRI: 0.9 for patients during their last 6 months on Avonex versus 0.7 after transitioning from Avonex to Rebif
(p = 0.222).
†Annualized relapse rate. Rebif: 0.32; Avonex: 0.64.
People who remained on Rebif had a 26% reduction in relapses after another 8 months of Rebif treatment, relative to their last 6 months in the comparative phase.
The exact correlation between MRI findings and the current or future clinical status of patients, including disability progression, is unknown.
Certain side effects occurred more frequently in people who changed from Avonex to Rebif: injection-site disorders, increased liver enzymes and decreased white blood cell counts. These events also occurred more frequently with Rebif posttransition versus prior use of Avonex.
People who chose to change from Avonex to Rebif had fewer relapses and brain lesions after just 8 months of Rebif treatment
Of the 605 people who completed the head-to-head phase of the EVIDENCE study, 73% of people taking Avonex and 91% of people taking Rebif chose to take Rebif 44 mcg in the extension phase of the study (n = 495), which lasted an average of 8 months.
Compared with their last 6 months on Avonex, relapse rates and the number of new T2 brain lesions were reduced for patients switching from Avonex to Rebif 44 mcg.
People who stayed on Rebif experienced continued reductions in relapse rates
People taking Rebif 44 mcg through the extended phase continued to experience significant reductions in relapses over an average of 8 months.
Compared with Avonex, side effects were generally similar with Rebif despite the higher, more frequent dosing of Rebif
In the EVIDENCE study, those taking Rebif had similar side effects to those taking Avonex.
Differences included:
- People taking Avonex had more flu-like symptoms than those taking Rebif.
- People taking Rebif had a greater number of injection-site reactions, elevated liver enzymes, and decreased white blood cell counts.
In addition, the number of people who dropped out of the study because of adverse events was 5% with Rebif and 3% with Avonex. Your health care professional can help you monitor and manage side effects or adverse events if they occur.
Related Topics
‡EVidence for Interferon Dose-response: European North American Comparative Efficacy.
