HealthCare Journey for Multiple Sclerosis
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Virtual MS Center
    • Q & A for Virtual MS Center
    • Read About Our Virtual MS Center Staff
  • News & Resources
  • Health & Wellness
  • Blogs
    • Physician Blog >
      • Healthcare Provider Blog
    • Physical Therapy Blog
    • Patient Blog
    • Caregiver Blog
    • Research Blogs >
      • "Ask Dr. Debbie" Research Blog
      • Multiple Perspectives In Multiple Sclerosis Research Blog
  • About MS
    • What is MS?
    • Diagnosis
    • Treatment
    • MS Tips
  • Symptoms
    • Balance and Walking Issues
    • Breathing/Respiratory
    • Bowel Dysfunction
    • Cognitive Dysfunction
    • Crying/Laughing Uncontrollably (PBA)
    • Depression and Anxiety
    • Dizziness/Vertigo
    • Dysphagia
    • Fatigue
    • Foot Drop
    • Hearing or Smell or Taste Changes
    • Heat Sensitivity
    • Leg Weakness
    • Loss of Hand Dexterity and Coordination
    • Memory and Mutliple Sclerosis
    • Migraines
    • Numbness/Tingling/Altered Sensation
    • Nystagmus and Oscillopsia
    • Pain
    • Sexual Dysfunction
    • Sleep Issues
    • Spasticity/Spasms/Cramps
    • Speech/Swallowing
    • Urination/Bowel Problems
    • Vision
  • MS Clinics
  • MS Topics
    • Pregnancy and Infertility
    • Caregivers and Family Members
    • Employment and MS
    • Medical Costs and Insurance
    • Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis
  • Register With Us
  • Terms of Use/Privacy/HIPAA
  • MS HealthCare Journey

Welcome to the Virtual MS Center!

Ask any question you want about Multiple Sclerosis and one of our experts will answer it as soon as possible.
CLICK HERE TO ASK YOUR QUESTION!

What Is The Difference Between Avonex And Plegridy?

9/20/2014

 
Picture
Q: What differences are there between Avonex and Plegridy? I have read that they are similar but what does that mean?

A: Usually when someone says two, or more, drugs are similar, they mean that they treat the same symptom(s), or have the same mechanism of action (i.e. they do the something in a similar fashion).

Both Avonex and Plegridy are FDA approved disease-modifying therapies used to prevent and treat relapses in MS.  Both belong to the same class of drugs called interferons. Avonex is an interferon beta-1a, and Plegridy is a pegylated interferon beta-1a, or peginterferon beta-1a.  Pegylated means that a compound called polyethylene glycol (PEG) is added to interferon beta-1a to make it last longer in the body. That means that a person can essentially take the Plegridy less often than the Avonex, but still potentially experience the same effects. Both drugs are injected, but Avonex is injected into the muscle, or intramuscularly, whereas Plegridy is injected under the skin, or subcutaneously.

Avonex and Plegridy have not been compared in terms of their effectiveness.  In a 2-year study evaluating the effectiveness of Avonex, people who were taking Avonex decreased the relapse rate by 32% compared with people who weren’t treating their MS. In another trial, those who took Avonex had a 61% decrease in relapse rate compared to those who took a placebo (a pill that does not have pharmacological effects).  Seventy-eight percent of those taking Avonex had no increase in disability.

Similarly, during the trial conducted for approval of Plegridy, relapse rates during the first year were reduced by 35.6% compared to those on placebo. For those who took Plegridy, the risk of disability progression was reduced by 38%.

Both Avonex and Plegridy have been shown to have similar adverse reactions, such as injection site reactions and flu-like symptoms.

Avonex is already available by prescription, and Plegridy will be available for prescription in November 2014. 

Bear in mind that choosing the right medication can only be determined by you and your doctor.  Information like this can simply help you ask the right questions to help you figure out what is best for you.

Deborah Backus, PT, PhD
Dire
ctor of Multiple Sclerosis Research
Shepherd Center
Atlanta, GA

John Weiss
12/20/2014 05:20:05 am

I was diagnosed with relapsing/remitting MS in 1984. For the next 10 years, it went untreated, as no FDA treatments were available. The was no change in my symptoms after the initial remittance. This meant I lived with compromised balance (no more x-country sking) falling significantly more often, and more concentration to speak clearly. About a year after its FDA approval, I started injecting (under the care of a neurologist) Avonex. This made no obvious change in symptoms, but as I also was stable, I continue treatment. In August, of 2014 Plegridy got FDA approval, and I asked my neurologist if she would prescribe it for me. She did, and today is my first, full day after the titration period. I am writing this because I think you description is lacking in one respect. I think it is important to point out that both drugs are products of the same company, even if you are reluctant to name it. I think it would improve the description, if you pointed out, that Plegridy only needed to be injected by-weekly, and that that is viewed as an advance.


Comments are closed.

    RSS Feed

    PLEASE NOTE: This information/opinions on this site should be used as an information source only.  This information does not create any patient-HCP relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment.  Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition.
    Read About Our Virtual MS Center Authors

    Archives

    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013

    Categories

    All
    Accessible Housing And Environmental Modifications
    Anxiety
    Balance
    Bowel Problems
    Caregivers
    Cognitive Function
    Compliance
    David Rintell Ed. D.
    Deborah Backus Blogs
    Depression
    Diagnosis
    Diet
    Dizziness
    Dosing
    Dr. Greenberg's Q&A
    Dr. Kinkel's Q&A
    Dr. Miravalle's Q&A
    Dr. Nielsen's Q&A
    Dr. Osborne's Q&A
    Exercise
    Experimental Treatments
    Eye Surgery
    Fatigue
    Fatique
    Flu Shot
    Foot Drop
    Herbs
    Immunosuppression
    JCV
    Lasik Surgery
    Lesions
    Lori Kostich's Q&A
    Lyme Disease
    Medications
    Migraines
    Mobility
    MRI
    MS Hug
    Other Diseases
    Pain
    PML
    PPMS
    Pregnancy
    Relapse
    Safety
    Sarah Wargo's Q&A
    Sexual Dysfunction
    Side Effects
    Smoking
    Spasticity
    Stem Cell Transplantation
    Steroids
    Stress
    Supplements
    Surgery
    Symptoms
    Treatment
    Urination
    Viruses
    Vision
    Vitamin D
    Vitamins
    Weakness


© 2020 HealthCare Journey, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
HealthCare Journey™ is a trademark of HealthCare Journey, LLC
Picture
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Virtual MS Center
    • Q & A for Virtual MS Center
    • Read About Our Virtual MS Center Staff
  • News & Resources
  • Health & Wellness
  • Blogs
    • Physician Blog >
      • Healthcare Provider Blog
    • Physical Therapy Blog
    • Patient Blog
    • Caregiver Blog
    • Research Blogs >
      • "Ask Dr. Debbie" Research Blog
      • Multiple Perspectives In Multiple Sclerosis Research Blog
  • About MS
    • What is MS?
    • Diagnosis
    • Treatment
    • MS Tips
  • Symptoms
    • Balance and Walking Issues
    • Breathing/Respiratory
    • Bowel Dysfunction
    • Cognitive Dysfunction
    • Crying/Laughing Uncontrollably (PBA)
    • Depression and Anxiety
    • Dizziness/Vertigo
    • Dysphagia
    • Fatigue
    • Foot Drop
    • Hearing or Smell or Taste Changes
    • Heat Sensitivity
    • Leg Weakness
    • Loss of Hand Dexterity and Coordination
    • Memory and Mutliple Sclerosis
    • Migraines
    • Numbness/Tingling/Altered Sensation
    • Nystagmus and Oscillopsia
    • Pain
    • Sexual Dysfunction
    • Sleep Issues
    • Spasticity/Spasms/Cramps
    • Speech/Swallowing
    • Urination/Bowel Problems
    • Vision
  • MS Clinics
  • MS Topics
    • Pregnancy and Infertility
    • Caregivers and Family Members
    • Employment and MS
    • Medical Costs and Insurance
    • Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis
  • Register With Us
  • Terms of Use/Privacy/HIPAA
  • MS HealthCare Journey