Frequent Home Monitoring in Multiple Sclerosis
FLEX-MS explores whether multiple sclerosis (MS) disease activity can be reliably monitored at-home, using self-collected blood samples. The goal is to help doctors make faster, better-informed treatment decisions by testing disease biomarkers frequently, but remotely. This approach can lead to improved care and better quality of life for people living with MS. FLEX-MS is a unique public-private partnership between hospitals (Amsterdam UMC, Rijnstate Hospital), research institutions (Sanquin), and companies specialising in biomarkers and home testing (Quanterix, Labonovum and Neurogen Biomarking).
MS is a lifelong disease affecting the brain and spinal cord, and it is one of the most common causes of disability in young adults. Effective treatments are available, but currently require frequent hospital visits and MRI scans, every 6 to 12 months, which is a costly process that can miss disease activity between appointments. Frequent home monitoring could result in fewer hospital trips and MRI scans, which reduces stress and saves time. This approach could lead to quicker treatment changes, improving long-term outcomes while cutting healthcare costs.
FLEX-MS has three main parts. First, researchers will compare biomarker measurements in capillary blood with traditional venous samples to assess feasibility and accuracy. Then, they will develop infrastructure to collect patient samples at home, and process and analyse the samples reliably. Finally, a clinical study including people living with MS will be conducted, assessing whether this newly developed method of at-home disease monitoring helps doctors make earlier treatment decisions.
The project will include 40 individuals in the piloting phase and further recruit 100 people living with MS at two large hospitals for the clinical trial. It will produce knowledge on the statistical correlation of capillary and venous blood measurements, and clinical data on the value of home monitoring in MS. These results will help shape future MS care and home healthcare services.
