Serono providing funding for real-world MS study
EMD Serono Inc. is providing at least $1 million in funding to the Accelerated Cure Project (ACP) for Multiple Sclerosis for the non-profit's longitudinal U.S. study focused on obtaining real-world data from MS patients. The Optimizing Treatment -- Understanding Progression (OPT-UP) study, slated to start in 1Q15, will enroll 2,500 MS patients and follow them for up to five years to collect data to help optimize treatment and understand progression.
Researchers will collect biological samples and imaging data along with data on treatment outcomes to compare the effectiveness, side effects and safety of different MS drugs in a real-world setting. The researchers also will look for biomarkers associated with mechanisms of progressive MS, along with predictors and early indicators of response to drugs. The non-profit said data and samples will be made available in an open access forum. ...