What is avonex drug

Interferon beta-1a is used to treat relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis MS , a chronic and disabling disease that affects the central nervous system by destroying the protective covering myelin surrounding nerve fibres. This medication is also used to delay the onset of MS in people who have experienced a single flare-up of symptoms and have changes that suggest MS in their magnetic resonance imaging MRI scans. Interferon beta-1a will not cure MS but may decrease the number of flare-ups of the disease, slow the progression of disability, and decrease the number and volume of active brain lesions damaged areas of the brain seen in the MRI scans.

Any specific brand name of this medication may not be available in all of the forms or approved for all of the conditions discussed here.

As well, some forms of this medication may not be used for all of the conditions discussed here. Your doctor may have suggested this medication for conditions other than those listed in these drug information articles. If you have not discussed this with your doctor or are not sure why you are being given this medication, speak to your doctor. Do not stop using this medication without consulting your doctor.

Do not give this medication to anyone else, even if they have the same symptoms as you do. It can be harmful for people to use this medication if their doctor has not prescribed it.

Optimal treatment can reduce the frequency of relapses and slow disease progression. Assess your symptoms and personal journey as a step in guiding your care. Create a personalized Doctor Discussion Guide to help ensure you are getting optimal treatment in managing your MS. To reduce flu-like symptoms at the start of treatment, your doctor may start treatment at a lower dose, and gradually increase the dose weekly over three to six weeks.

Your doctor may also recommend a medication for pain or fever to be taken before the injection and for 24 hours after the injection each week, to decrease flu-like side effects. Many things can affect the dose of medication that a person needs, such as body weight, other medical conditions, and other medications. If your doctor has recommended a dose different from the ones listed here, do not change the way that you are using the medication without consulting your doctor.

Interferon beta-1a is used with the guidance and supervision of a doctor. Your doctor or nurse may ask you to inject the medication at home once they have instructed you and are certain that you won't have any problems with doing it at home.

Do not attempt to prepare or inject this medication on your own until you completely understand how to prepare the syringe and inject a dose. Make sure that you change your injection site each week.

You should avoid injecting this medication into an area of skin that is sore, red, infected, or otherwise damaged. If you are having difficulty giving yourself injections, talk to your health care provider. It is important to use this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. If you miss a dose, inject it as soon as possible and continue with your regular schedule. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular dosing schedule.

Do not inject a double dose to make up for a missed one. If you are not sure what to do after missing a dose, contact your doctor or pharmacist for advice. Do not take this medication 2 days in a row. Prefilled syringes of interferon beta-1a must be stored in the refrigerator. Remove the syringe from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before use to allow the medication to reach room temperature.

Do not use external heat sources such as hot water or a microwave to warm up the medication. The prefilled syringe must be used within 7 days of removing it from the refrigerator. Please refer to the package insert for complete instructions on using this medication. Always wash your hands before preparing the medication and after you have used it. Always use a new unopened vial, syringe, and needle.

Never reuse vials, syringes, prefilled syringes, or needles. Protect this medication from light, moisture, freezing, and high temperatures. Recommendations and precautions to be followed by healthcare professionals and patients for the safe and effective use of Avonex have been included in the summary of product characteristics and the package leaflet. As for all medicines, data on the use of Avonex are continuously monitored. Side effects reported with Avonex are carefully evaluated and any necessary action taken to protect patients.

Avonex received a marketing authorisation valid throughout the EU on 13 March More detail is available in the summary of product characteristics. Biogen Netherlands B. Please do not include any personal data , such as your name or contact details.

Skip to main content. Veterinary regulatory Overview Research and development Marketing authorisation Post-authorisation. Avonex RSS. Table of contents Overview Authorisation details Product information Assessment history. Avonex is a medicine used to treat: patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis MS.

MS is a disease in which inflammation damages the protective insulation around nerves demyelination as well as the nerves themselves. In relapsing MS, the patient has attacks relapses between periods with no symptoms.

It is used when the patient is considered to be at high risk of developing MS. Before using Avonex, doctors need to exclude other causes for the symptoms. Expand section Collapse section. Avonex must not be used in patients who have severe depression or have thoughts of suicide.

Authorisation details. Product details Name Avonex. Before you start taking Avonex, tell your doctor if you have any history of depression, mood disorders, or suicidal thoughts or behaviors. They may monitor you more often than usual if you have a history of mental health conditions.

If you do develop any of the symptoms mentioned above, be sure to talk with your doctor or caregiver right away. In some cases of suicidal thoughts or behaviors, you may need to visit an emergency room. Your doctor will usually have you stop taking Avonex if you develop depression, mood changes, or suicidal thoughts or behaviors. Some people reported that their depression symptoms eased after stopping treatment with Avonex.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, get help from a crisis or suicide prevention hotline. Try the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at Below are commonly used dosages, but always take the dosage your doctor prescribes. Avonex comes in two forms: a single-use prefilled syringe and an autoinjector. Each form contains 30 micrograms mcg of medication in 0. Either device should be used only once.

So once you inject your Avonex dose, you should discard the syringe or autoinjector as directed. Before you start using Avonex, your doctor or another healthcare professional will teach you how to use the syringe or autoinjector.

This way, you can learn how to self-inject or have a caregiver inject the drug for you. Be sure to inject your Avonex dose exactly as your doctor prescribes. You should change injection sites with each dose. This helps prevent your skin from becoming irritated. The dosing schedule for the drug increases over the course of a 4-week period. Your doctor will discuss your specific dosing frequency with you before your first dose.

When you first start taking Avonex, your doctor will usually start you at a low dosage. If you experience side effects from Avonex, your doctor may recommend taking certain medications before your dose to help prevent the side effects. These medications may include acetaminophen Tylenol and diphenhydramine Benadryl.

Taking these medications before your dose may decrease your risk for certain side effects, such as fever or flu-like symptoms. For example, if your MS symptoms get worse during treatment, your doctor may recommend taking a steroid medication with Avonex. The steroid may help ease nerve swelling. Talk with your doctor about your treatment for MS before starting Avonex.

You may have questions about Avonex and your treatment plan. Remember, your doctor and other healthcare professionals are available to help you. And they want you to get the best care possible. Avonex is used to treat certain forms of multiple sclerosis MS. MS is a condition that affects the nerves that connect your brain and spinal cord.

MS causes your immune system to mistakenly attack the covering of your nerve fibers. Some symptoms of MS may include:. To be specific, Avonex is used to treat relapsing forms of MS. A relapse is a time of new or worsening symptoms. Avonex is used to treat the following in adults:. This may then help relieve your symptoms.

Avonex is not known to cause symptoms of withdrawal. But when you stop treatment with Avonex, your symptoms of multiple sclerosis MS or clinically isolated syndrome CIS may worsen. This is because Avonex was working to help ease your symptoms. If you have any questions about possible side effects when you end Avonex treatment, talk with your doctor. You should do this about 30 minutes before your injection.

Let Avonex come to room temperature before you inject it. Once you have removed Avonex from the refrigerator, you should use it within 7 days. You may also wonder how long Avonex can be unrefrigerated. Doing so may make the medication less effective than usual. For more information on how Avonex works, see this article. You can also talk with your doctor or pharmacist. No, weight gain and weight loss were not side effects that were reported in studies of people taking Avonex.

But in some cases, weight change can be a symptom of other side effects of Avonex. For example, if you develop heart failure due to Avonex, you may gain weight. Changes in your thyroid is another possible side effect of Avonex. And thyroid changes may cause weight gain or weight loss. They can help determine the cause. According to guidelines from the American Academy of Neurology , if you have MS, you should get a flu shot each year.

The medications Avonex and Rebif are both approved to treat relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis. With these forms, you may have new or worsening symptoms.

Both of the drugs contain the active ingredient interferon beta-1a. But even though these drugs are similar, they also have many differences. And be sure to talk with your doctor about which drug is right for you.