Autoinjectors for administration of interferon beta-1b in multiple sclerosis: patient preferences and the ExtaviPro™ 30G and Betacomfort(®) devices

BACKGROUND: The ExtaviPro™ 30G autoinjector has been developed for self-administration of interferon beta-1b (Extavia(®)), which is used as a first-line, parenteral, disease-modifying therapy in multiple sclerosis (MS). The aim of this survey was to investigate patients’ perceptions of the importance of different general attributes of autoinjectors, and patient preferences when comparing the ExtaviPro™ 30G and Betacomfort(®) autoinjectors. METHOD: The survey was conducted in France, Germany, Italy, and the USA in patients with relapsing-remitting MS who had been using an autoinjector for at least 1 year. Participants examined the ExtaviPro™ 30G and Betacomfort(®) devices, viewed fact sheets, and watched a video of these autoinjectors in use, then scored nine prespecified attributes of autoinjectors in terms of importance on a scale of 1–7 (1 = not at all important; 7 = extremely important). They then indicated which device they preferred, both overall and by individual attribute. RESULTS: Among the 201 participants who completed the survey, being reliable to use was considered the most important general attribute of autoinjectors, followed by attributes associated with convenience (ease of operation, one-handed injection, ease of reach of injection sites, ergonomic shape). For each of the nine attributes, a significantly higher proportion of participants (74%–94% by attribute; P < 0.05 for each) preferred ExtaviPro™ 30G to the Betacomfort(®) autoinjector, and 173 (86%) participants indicated that they preferred ExtaviPro™ 30G overall (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The results of this survey suggest that patients with MS rate reliability and convenience as the most important general attributes of autoinjectors, and are more likely to prefer ExtaviPro™ 30G to the Betacomfort(®) autoinjector for routine self-administration of interferon beta-1b.