Biogen Inc. (NASDAQ: BIIB) disclosed new data on multiple sclerosis (MS) disease assessment and advanced analytics that will be presented at the 38th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) on October 26-28, 2022. These findings illustrate Biogen’s multifaceted approach to MS-related digital health research, which aims to promote the development of novel therapies, individualize care, and advance knowledge of disease heterogeneity.
Head of Science, Biogen Digital Health, Shibeshih Belachew stated that Biogen is trying to create a future in which multidimensional data is used to better describe and monitor MS disease development, as well as forecast medication response at the individual level. The ECTRIMS presentations this year showcase their continuing digital health research and highlight efforts in establishing new measuring tools with the goal of improving medication development and tailored treatment for better patient outcomes.
Several presentations at ECTRIMS highlight the potential for technology to open up new avenues for illness monitoring using digital health technology solutions. A poster examining the connection between innovative measures from the Manual Dexterity Test (MDT), a technology-enabled nine-hole peg test, includes 3,525 patients and 44,394 MDT observations. Total MDT time is a credible measure that corresponds with changes in disability progression and quality of life in MS patients, according to the findings, and a new metric of MDT speed gives stronger prediction models of disease progression when compared to overall MDT time.
Two additional posters analyzed interim data from the DigiToms study evaluating a smartphone-based Cognitive Processing Speed (CPS) Test from Konectom, a mobile application that is intended to be used as a self-assessment tool to objectively quantify motor and cognitive functions. Data demonstrate that CPS score and response time features are sensitive to cognitive impairment and show discriminative validity between people with MS and healthy participants. A second poster outlines differences in three outcome measures of the CPS test when performed with a fixed reference key versus a dynamic reference key, an important element of test design. MDT and Konectom are currently only used in limited research settings.