Equipping People To Make Sense Of What They Are Told
Extavia - A brand of beta interferon-1b, a disease modifying drug that is also available
as Betaferon. Extavia is licensed for relapsing remitting MS and some people with
secondary progressive MS. Extavia is also licensed for clinically isolated syndrome,
an individual's first neurologic episode.
Extavia was licensed in 2009, therefore, does not explicitly fall under the Department
of Health's Risk-sharing Scheme, which was set up in 2002.
How is Extavia given?
Extavia is injected under the skin every other day.
IFNB Multiple Sclerosis Study Group.
Interferon beta-1b in the treatment of multiple sclerosis: final outcome of the randomised
controlled trial. Neurology 1995;45:1277-1285. Abstract
Side effects may occur such as:
Flu like symptoms following injections.
Injection site reactions such as redness, swelling, and occasionally itching or some
pain at the site.
