Modifying the disease course
Establishing and following a treatment plan with your healthcare provider is the best strategy for managing your MS. Medications are used in multiple sclerosis (MS) to modify the disease course, treat relapses — also called attacks or exacerbations — and manage symptoms. Along with the other essential components of comprehensive MS care, these medications help you manage your MS and enhance your quality of life.
The following US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved disease modifying therapies for MS have been found through clinical trials to reduce the number of relapses, delay progression of disability, and limit new disease activity (as seen on MRI).
- Injectable medications
- Avonex® (interferon beta-1a)
- Betaseron® (interferon beta-1b)
- Copaxone® (glatiramer acetate)
- Extavia® (interferon beta-1b)
- Glatiramer Acetate Injection (glatiramer acetate -generic equivalent of Copaxone 20 mg and 40 mg doses)
- Glatopa® (glatiramer acetate – generic equivalent of Copaxone 20mg and 40mg doses)
- Kesimpta® (ofatumumab)
- Plegridy® (peginterferon beta-1a)
- Rebif® (interferon beta-1a)
- Oral medications
- Aubagio® (teriflunomide)
- Bafiertam™ (monomethyl fumarate)
- Dimethyl Fumarate (dimethyl fumarate – generic equivalent of Tecfidera)
- Gilenya® (fingolimod)
- Mavenclad® (cladribine)
- Mayzent® (siponimod)
- Ponvory™ (ponesimod)
- Tascenso ODT® (fingolimod)
- Tecfidera® (dimethyl fumarate)
- Vumerity® (diroximel fumarate)
- Zeposia® (ozanimod)
- Infused medications
Under certain circumstances, some healthcare providers may use medications to treat MS that have FDA approval for other diseases – read more about “off-label” use. For help with DMT costs, read about pharmaceutical companies’ patient assistance programs and explore more options in our our step-by-step Guide to Prescription Financial Assistance.
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