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Correspondence
Neutralising antibodies to interferon β during the treatment of multiple sclerosis
  1. C H Polman1,
  2. L Kappos2,
  3. J Petkau3,
  4. A Thompson4
  1. 1Department of Neurology, VU Medical Centre, 1007 MB Amsterdam, Netherlands
  2. 2Department of Neurology, University Hospitals, Basel, Switzerland
  3. 3Department of Statistics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
  4. 4Institute of Neurology, University College London, UK
  1. Correspondence to:
 Professor C H Polman;
 ch.polman{at}vumc.nl

https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.74.8.1162

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    Giovannoni and colleagues are to be commended for their detailed analysis of the impact of neutralising antibodies (NAB) to interferon β (IFNβ) during the treatment of multiple sclerosis.1 We are in general agreement with many of their statements and conclusions, but a few points should be discussed in a wider context.

    With respect to the clinical significance of neutralising antibodies to IFNβ, the authors state that “IFNβ has little if any clinical and MRI efficacy in the presence of neutralising antibodies.” We think it is appropriate to be more circumspect, as most published studies suggest that in NAB positive patients, clinical (and MRI) efficacy of interferon treatment is present when compared to placebo, and that there is some evidence that more immunogenic higher dose treatment can …

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