Relevance of first-line drugs for treatment of multiple sclerosis in present-day conditions

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic demyelinating disease of young employable people. Demyelination develops as a result of the autoimmune mechanisms of the damage to nerve fibers, while the neurodegenerative changes in the brain matter begin from the first days of the disease. MS in most cases has a wavy course (periods of exacerbations and remissions), over time the progression of disease worses the quality of life of patients. Usually, there are remitting, secondary progressive, and primary progressive MS. The «gold standard» of treatment after the diagnosis of MS is first-line drugs disease-modifying therapies (DMT) of the first line -glatiramer acetate and в—interferons. These drugs have been used for more than 20 years and have proven their effectiveness, safety and good tolerability in long-term continuous observational clinical studies. It is important to note that therapy should be started as early as possible, from the moment of diagnosis, since in most patients, even with a stable clinical picture and no symptoms, the disease progresses. Over time, this can lead to persistent, irreversible neurological deficits and disability. The use of active immune -modulating drugs requires constant monitoring of the patient’s condition by qualified neurologists. This article presents the results of clinical trials of Timexon® (glatiramer acetate) and Teberif ® (interferon beta- 1а) in patients with remitting multiple sclerosis and discusses the issues of prescribing first-line drugs, switching from one therapy to another within the first-line, monitoring the effectiveness and safety of treatment.

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