On Jul. 23, 1993, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Betaseron, developed by Chiron and Berlex Laboratories, the first of several biotechnology products that have had a major impact on multiple sclerosis treatment.

Today, a Bayer company product, BETASERON^® (interferon beta-1b) is a prescription medicine used to treat relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), to include clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting disease, and active secondary progressive disease, in adults.

Five injectables – four beta interferons (Avonex, Betaseron, Extavia, and Rebif) and the copolymer polypeptide mixture glatiramer acetate – are generally viewed as first-line treatments for MS. Most experts recommend that treatment begin with one of these drugs as soon as the diagnosis of relapsing -remitting MS has been confirmed.