title: Recommendations for clinical use of data on neutralising antibodies to interferon-beta therapy in multiple sclerosis.
abstract: The identification of factors that can affect the efficacy of immunomodulatory drugs in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) is important. For the available interferon-beta products, neutralising antibodies (NAb) have been shown to affect treatment efficacy. In June, 2009, a panel of experts in MS and NAbs to interferon-beta therapy convened in Amsterdam, Netherlands, under the auspices of the Neutralizing Antibodies on Interferon beta in Multiple Sclerosis consortium, a European-based project of the 6th Framework Programme of the European Commission, to review and discuss data on NAbs and their practical consequences for the treatment of patients with MS on interferon beta. The panel believed that information about NAbs and other markers of biological activity of interferons (ie, myxovirus resistance protein A [MxA]) can be integrated with clinical and imaging indicators to guide individual treatment decisions. In cases of sustained high-titre NAb positivity and/or lack of MxA bioactivity, a switch to a non-interferon-beta therapy should be considered. In patients who are doing poorly clinically, therapy should be switched irrespective of NAb or MxA bioactivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, MS Center Amsterdam, Free University Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands. ch.polman@vumc.nl
authors.forename: Chris H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Polman
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bertolotto
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Deisenhammer
authors.forename: Gavin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giovannoni
authors.forename: Hans-Peter
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Hartung
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hemmer
authors.forename: Joep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Killestein
authors.forename: Henry F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: McFarland
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Oger
authors.forename: Andrew R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Pachner
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Petkau
authors.forename: Anthony T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Reder
authors.forename: Stephen C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Reingold
authors.forename: Huub
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schellekens
authors.forename: Per Soelberg
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Sørensen
mesh_terms: D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D016899:Interferon-beta