Peginterferon β-1a every 2 weeks increased achievement of no evidence of disease activity over 4 years in the ADVANCE and ATTAIN studies in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

Background: No evidence of disease activity (NEDA) is a composite measurement, incorporating clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) elements of disease activity to sensitively evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of treatments for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

Objective: To assess the NEDA status of patients treated with peginterferon β-1a in the ADVANCE and ATTAIN studies and explore its predictive value on longer-term clinical outcomes.

Methods: ATTAIN was a 2-year extension of the pivotal 2-year ADVANCE study of peginterferon β-1a for RRMS. Achievement of clinical NEDA, MRI NEDA, or overall NEDA was calculated cumulatively and by year over 4 years. Clinical outcomes during ATTAIN were analyzed based on NEDA status at the end of ADVANCE.

Results: Significantly more patients treated with peginterferon β-1a every 2 weeks than every 4 weeks achieved clinical NEDA (60.6% versus 50.6%, p  = 0.0063) and MRI NEDA (28.3% versus 15.8%, p  = 0.0005) through year 4 and overall NEDA through year 3 (20.9% versus 13.9%, p  = 0.0160). Over 4 years, 15.8% of patients in the every 2 weeks group and 10.7% of patients in the every 4 weeks group maintained overall NEDA ( p  = 0.0584). Achievement of clinical NEDA, MRI NEDA, or overall NEDA in ADVANCE was predictive of annualized relapse rate in ATTAIN; achievement of clinical NEDA in ADVANCE was also predictive of NEDA achievement and confirmed disability worsening in ATTAIN.

Conclusions: Peginterferon β-1a every 2 weeks is associated with higher levels of NEDA compared with placebo in year 1 or peginterferon β-1a every 4 weeks in years 2-4. Overall NEDA within the first 2 years of treatment may be prognostic of long-term clinical outcomes. Clinicaltrials.gov : NCT01332019.