Immunomodulator
Glatiramer acetate
Brand names: Copaxone, Brabio
Adult dose
Dose: 20mg SC OD or 40mg SC three times weekly (≥48h apart)
Route: SC
Frequency: OD or 3×/week
Clinical pearls
- Relapsing-remitting MS; first-line disease-modifying therapy
- Rotate injection sites; teach lipoatrophy prevention
Contraindications
- Hypersensitivity to glatiramer or mannitol
Side effects
- Injection site reactions (lipoatrophy, necrosis)
- Post-injection systemic reaction (chest tightness, flushing, dyspnoea)
- Hypersensitivity
Monitoring
- Injection sites
- Relapse rate
- MRI
Reference: BNF; NICE NG220; ABN MS guidelines; https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/glatiramer-acetate/. Verify against your local formulary and the latest BNF before prescribing.
Related
Curated clinical cross-links plus same-class fallbacks.
Pathways
- Acute Stroke / TIA Assessment · NICE NG128; RCP Stroke Guidelines 2023
- Status Epilepticus (Adults) · NICE CG137; ESEM guidelines; RCP Neurology Guidelines
- Suspected Subarachnoid Haemorrhage · NICE NG228; RCEM 2023; AHA/ASA 2023
- Adult Head Injury · NICE NG232 (2023)
- Bell's Palsy / Facial Nerve Palsy · ENT UK 2017; AAN
- Vertigo Workup · ENT UK; NICE CKS