Phase I study aiming at:

• assessing the absolute bioavailability, pharmacokinetic profile, and dose proportionality of interferon beta-1a (HSA-free solution in pre-filled syringes) after i.v. and s.c. administration as well as the pharmacodynamic profile to create the link with available surrogate markers investigated with both formulations used clinically, lyophilisate with HSA (HSA+) and solution without HSA (HSA-);
• gathering further information on safety and tolerability of interferon beta-1a over dose range,including local and systemic tolerance, body temperature, vital signs, and a battery of exploratory sickness behavior tests.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthy male and female subjects aged between 18 and 45 years
• Weight range between 55 and 95 kg for males, 45 and 80 kg for females, providing body mass index (BMI) was between 18 and 29 kg/m2
• Absence of significant findings in the medical history and physical examination
• Absence of significant laboratory abnormalities as judged by the investigator.
• 12-lead ECG without significant abnormalities
• Negative urine drug screen

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of major renal, hepatic, immunological, haematological, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, neurological, or rheumatological disorders
• Active diseases of any type, even if mild, including inflammatory disorders and infections.
• Pregnant or lactating women or women contemplating becoming pregnant during study. Female subjects of child-bearing potential who did not practice efficient contraception during the study. A pregnancy test in blood was performed at screening and before each period with β-human chorionic gonadotropin for females of child-bearing potential. If pregnancy test was positive, the subject had to be immediately excluded from study and followed until delivery
• History of severe allergy or of asthma at any time.
• History of cardiovascular dysfunction
• Hypertension
• Sick sinus syndrome or known long QT syndrome
• Presence of QTc  > 440 msec or pronounced sinus bradycardia (<40 bpm/min), even if elicited by sport
• Dark skin preventing local tolerance assessment or abnormal cutaneous reaction e.g. urticaria or papular dermographism
• Intense sport activities.
• Any clinically significant laboratory value on screening that were not within normal range on single repeat
• Positive hepatitis B & C antigen screen
• Positive HIV antibody screen or screen not performed
• Any recent acute illness or sequelae thereof which could expose the subject to a higher risk or might confound the results of the study
• Treatment in the previous three months with any drug known to have well-defined potential for toxicity to a major organ
• History of hypersensitivity to any drug if considered as serious
• History of alcohol or drug abuse
• Positive qualitative urine drug test at screening
• Use of any medication in 2 weeks prior to study and throughout study, including aspirin or other over-the-counter preparation.
• Blood (500 mL) donation or hemorrhage during the previous three months
• Participation in a clinical trial in the previous 3 months
• Smoking
• Consumption of a large quantity of coffee, tea or equivalent
• Present consumption of a large quantity of alcohol or wine or equivalent
• Psychological status which could have had an impact on subject's ability to give informed consent or behavioral tests
• Any feature of subject's medical history or present condition which, in the investigator's opinion, could confound the results of the study, complicate its interpretation, or represent a potential risk for the subject