In order to get a rapid, technically simple and inexpensive tool to screen IFN-ß treated MS patients for antibodies potentially decreasing the treatment efficacy, BÜHLMANN developed an anti-IFN-ß BAB ELISA recovering virtually all neutralizing and non-neutralizing IFN-ß BABs.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) affects over 2.5
mio individuals worldwide and is the most
common disease of the CNS that causes
prolonged and severe disability. IFN-beta is the most commonly used treatment in Relapsing/ Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS). The widely used disease modifying agents with annual global sales of $ 3 billion are Interferon-beta 1a and-1b. Various studies have proven the value of these biologicals in the treatment of RRMS by reducing the relapse rates by 30% and increasing the remittance time span. These therapies are very expensive (15 - 17 k€ per year/patient).
IFN-beta Antibodies
Caused by the appearance of anti IFNbeta Antibodies, a substantial number of patients fail to respond to IFN-beta therapies. Antibody mediated decrease in bioactivity, will lead to decreased clinical effect of injected IFN-beta.

Should routine screens for anti-IFNbetaantibodies be performed?
It is highly important to control the antibody status early on during therapy as BABs/NABs appear after 3 - 6 months and are highly predictive indicators for therapy success, as the clinical effects of NABs only appear around 18 months after therapy starts!
The BÜHLMANN BAB Assay is suggested as first step screening tool. It is simple, quick
and inexpensive!

In a second step NAB Assays can be performed with the positive samples from the
previous BAB screening. NAB tests are activity assays. They are time consuming
and more difficult to perform.

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