Plegridy Satisfaction Study in Participants

TSQM is a 14-item instrument consisting of four scales: effectiveness scale (questions 1 to 3), side effects scale (questions 4 to 8), convenience scale (questions 9 to 11) and global satisfaction scale (questions 12 to 14). In TSQM-9, the five items related to side effects of medication were not included. The scores were computed by adding items for each domain. The lowest possible score was subtracted from this composite score and divided by the greatest possible score minus the lowest possible score. This provided a transformed score between 0 and 1 that was then multiplied by 100. TSQM-9 domain scores range from 0 to 100 with higher scores representing higher satisfaction on that domain. Questionnaires were completed electronically by participants, by means of a participant i-PAD at each study visit.

Adherence to treatment was evaluated using a questionnaire assessing adherence and the reasons for not taking drug at the recommended frequency of administration. Participants who had taken the prescribed doses of treatment in the previous 28 days were evaluated.

FSS is a questionnaire composed of nine statements on the state of fatigue experienced during the previous week. The answers are within a scale of agreement ranging from 1 to 7, where 1 represents less fatigue and 7 indicates highest fatigue. The total score was obtained summing the number given at each item and it ranges from 7 to 63. An overall score of ≥36 indicates a state of fatigue. Questionnaires were completed electronically by participants, by means of a participant i-PAD at each study visit. Here, negative values indicate improvement in FSS score from baseline.

MSTCQ is a 20-item questionnaire adapted for 'Peg-interferon Beta 1a' containing two domains: injection system satisfaction (1-9) and side effects (1-11). All questions in the MSTCQ have a five-point response choice, with a minimum possible total score of 20 and a maximum possible total score of 100. Lower total scores indicating better outcomes. Questionnaires were completed electronically by participants, by means of a participant I-PAD at each study visit. Here, negative values indicate improvement in MSTCQ score from baseline.

MusiQoL is a self-administered questionnaire consisting of 31 items describing nine dimensions of health-related quality of life (QoL): activities of daily living, psychological wellbeing, symptoms, relationship with friends, relationship with family, sentimental and sexual life, coping rejection, relationship with healthcare system). All items are scored based on frequency/extent of an event on a five-point scale ranging from never/not at all (option 1) to always/very much (option 5). Total score is obtained by linearly transforming and standardizing on a 0-100 scale. Higher scores indicate a better level of health-related QoL for each dimension and for the global index score. Here, negative values indicate improvement in MusiQoL score from baseline.

Relapses are defined as neurologic symptoms lasting more than 24 hours which occur at least 30 days after the onset of a preceding event. ARR was calculated as the total number of relapses for all participants divided by the total participant-years of exposure to that treatment. Here negative sign indicates decrease in annual relapse rate as compared to baseline.

Relapses are defined as neurologic symptoms lasting more than 24 hours which occur at least 30 days after the onset of a preceding event. Percent change in relapse-free participants had been calculated with respect to the number of relapse-free participants at baseline. Here, negative sign indicates decrease in number of relapse free participants at specified timepoint as compared to baseline.

An AE is any untoward medical occurrence in a participant or clinical investigation participant administered a pharmaceutical product and that does not necessarily have a causal relationship with this treatment. An AE can herefore be any unfavorable and unintended sign (including an abnormal laboratory finding), symptom, or disease temporally associated with the use of a medicinal (investigational) product, whether or not related to the medicinal (investigational) product.

Severity of AEs was evaluated based on the following criteria- Mild: Symptoms barely noticeable to participant or does not make participant uncomfortable; does not influence performance or functioning; prescription drug not ordinarily needed for relief of symptom(s) but may be given because of personality of participant. Moderate: Symptoms of a sufficient severity to make participant uncomfortable; performance of daily activity is influenced; participant is able to continue in study; treatment for symptom(s) may be needed. Severe: Symptoms cause severe discomfort; symptoms cause incapacitation or significant impact on participant's daily life; severity may cause cessation of treatment with study treatment; treatment for symptom(s) may be given and/or participant hospitalized.

Participants with clinical abnormal laboratory values were reported throughout the studies.