Know Your Meds: MS Edition

As we wrap up National MS Education and Awareness Month, it’s a good time to provide an overview about multiple sclerosis medications. Closely following a medication care plan offers the best strategy for managing MS symptoms, as well as modifying the disease course, and treating relapses. Let’s review the medications most often utilized for MS treatment.

There are three categories of medications for modifying the disease course and they include:

1. Oral medications

• Aubagio® (teriflunomide)
• Bafiertam™ (monomethyl fumarate)
• Dimethyl Fumarate (dimethyl fumarate – generic equivalent of Tecfidera)
• Gilenya® (fingolimod)
• Mavenclad® (cladribine)
• Mayzent® (siponimod)
• Tecfidera® (dimethyl fumarate)
• Vumerity® (diroximel fumarate)
• Zeposia® (ozanimod)

2. Infused medications

• Lemtrada® (alemtuzumab)
• Novantrone® (mitoxantrone)
• Ocrevus® (ocrelizumab)
• Tysabri® (natalizumab)

3. Injectables

• 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)

In addition, there are dozens of medications that can be utilized as part of a plan of care for the symptoms of MS, ranging from fatigue, pain, bladder/bowel problems, spasticity, tremors, dizziness, depression, sexual problems, itching, and gait difficulties. While a cure for multiple sclerosis still does not exist, MS patients have numerous medication choices.

BioPlus Specialty Pharmacy is available to help you and your MS patients through implementing a plan of care.