The late Lawrence Jacobs, MD, a UB professor of neurology, was
determined to improve the lives of his patients. His resolve led to
groundbreaking research on multiple sclerosis (MS)—most
notably the development of Avonex (interferon beta-1a), the drug
most prescribed for people suffering from relapsing MS.
As early as 1981, Jacobs’ research showed that early
treatment of multiple sclerosis with interferon beta-1a
significantly reduced the rate of progression and impact of the
disease, which often includes brain and nerve damage. Jacobs funded
his initial work privately, eventually attracting multimillion
dollar grants from the National Institutes of Health.
After the introduction of Avonex in 1994, Jacobs traveled
throughout the world, lecturing and educating physicians on the use
of the drug, coordinating MS clinical research and developing new
research initiatives. During his tenure as chair of the UB
Department of Neurology, he hosted scientists from 15 countries,
training them in his MS clinic.
In 2000, the New England Journal of Medicine published the
results of a large-scale study led by Jacobs that described the
benefits of beta-1a interferon in treating multiple sclerosis. The
impact of this study prompted the Harvard Health Letter to name
Jacobs’ research as one of the 10 leading health advances for
2000.
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