New Blood Test Aims to Improve Management of Multiple Sclerosis

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 12 Jul 2024

Image: The neurofilament light chain blood test for multiple sclerosis is the first of its kind to achieve CE Mark (Photo courtesy of Adobe Stock)

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune, inflammatory, and neurodegenerative condition where axonal loss leads to irreversible neurological damage and disability. Currently, approximately 2.8 million people globally are affected by MS, though this figure is likely underestimated due to underdiagnosis in underserved and remote areas lacking adequate neurological care and imaging facilities. While no cure exists for MS, available treatments aim to reduce the frequency of relapses, which are linked to nerve cell damage and the progression of the disease. There is a critical need for an accessible, affordable, and accurate blood test that can detect early signs of neuronal injury and disease activity. The neurofilament light chain (NfL) protein has been identified as a key biomarker for nerve cell damage. Now, a new blood test that measures levels of NfL could facilitate earlier detection of MS-related neuronal injury and improve disease management.

Siemens Healthineers (Forchheim, Germany), in collaboration with Novartis Pharma AG (Basel, Switzerland), will be soon making a blood test for MS disease management available. This test is designed to complement clinical assessments, imaging, and laboratory results to aid in predicting MS disease activity in patients with Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis (RMS). Early identification of the risk of MS-related neuronal injury in RMS patients would enable neurologists and other healthcare providers to manage the condition more effectively, potentially preventing relapses and disease progression.

Siemens’ NfL assay is intended for in vitro diagnostic use to quantitatively measure NfL in human serum and plasma. This blood test, when used in conjunction with clinical evaluations, imaging, and other laboratory data, aims to help identify RMS patients aged 18-55 who are at increased or decreased risk of MS disease activity. This activity is characterized by new or enlarging T2 magnetic resonance imaging lesions over two years. Blood-based biomarkers like NfL are enhancing the understanding of neurological diseases and are poised to significantly transform neurological practice. Siemens, with its Atellica Solution, is strategically positioned to support neurology with tests that can be administered on broadly accessible laboratory platforms, thus extending the availability of these tests to more healthcare practitioners and their patients.

"Neurofilament light chain, or NfL, has emerged as a leading biomarker of nerve cell damage,” said Dr. Dennis Gilbert, Head of Research, Development, and Innovation for Diagnostics at Siemens Healthineers. “Having access to a test that measures this protein capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier to support earlier prognostication of disease activity would be a critical scientific advancement for MS patients."