Table 2.

Randomized controlled phase III clinical trials of the approved relapsing−remitting multiple sclerosis medications, where the medications have been compared head-to-head with another active multiple sclerosis medication

Medication	Compared to	N	Trial name (reference)	ARR		Disability progression
				Relative reduction	ARR	Relative reduction	EDSS progression
First-line
Interferon beta-1b	Interferon beta-1a i.m.	92 vs. 96	INCOMIN 63	24%	0.5 vs. 0.7	44%	0.13 vs. 0.30
Interferon-beta-1a s.c.	Interferon-beta-1a i.m.	339 vs. 338	EVIDENCE 64	16%a	0.54 vs. 0.64	13% (N.S.)	0.13 vs. 0.15
Interferon beta-1a s.c.	Glatiramer acetate	386 vs. 378	REGARD 65	3% (N.S)	0.30 vs. 0.29	25% (N.S.)	0.12 vs. 0.09
Interferon-beta-1b	Glatiramer acetate	899 vs. 448	BEYOND 66	3% (N.S)	0.33 vs. 0.34	5% (N.S.)	0.22 vs. 0.20
Teriflunomide	Interferon-beta 1a s.c.	111 vs. 104	TENERE 31	4% (N.S)	0.26 vs. 0.22	-	-
Dimethyl fumarate	Glatiramer acetate	359 vs. 350	CONFIRM 35	24% (N.S)	0.22 vs. 0.29	17% (N.S.)	0.13 vs. 0.16
Second-line
Fingolimod	Interferon beta-1a i.m.	431 vs. 435	TRANSFORMS 40	52%a	0.16 vs. 0.33	25% (N.S.)	0.06 vs. 0.08
Alemtuzumab	Interferon beta-1a s.c.	376 vs. 202	CARE MS-1 47	55%	0.18 vs. 0.39	30% (N.S.)	0.08b vs. 0.11b
Alemtuzumab	Interferon beta-1a s.c.	426 vs. 202	CARE MS-2 48	49%	0.26 vs. 0.52	42%	0.13b vs. 0.21b

N, number of patients included in each treatment arm − note that the number only includes treatment arms with US Food and Drug Administration/European Medicines Agency approved dosages; ARR, annualized relapse rate during 2 years of follow-up, medication in column 1 versus medication in column 2; EDSS, Expanded Disability Status Scale; i.m., intramuscular; s.c., subcutaneous; N.S., not significant. Disability progression is the proportion of patients with 3 months confirmed progression in EDSS score, medication in column 1 versus medication in column 2.

^a1 year follow-up.;

^a6 months confirmed progression in EDSS score.