AAN 2026 | A digital tool to detect disability worsening in multiple sclerosis: the MS-DETECT study

We presented with my colleagues the data concerning digital tools called MSCopilot and MSCopilot in a study called MS-DETECT. The aim of the study and the use of this digital tool, MSCopilot, is to detect subtle changes concerning disability progression. Because today, with the drugs we have, we are able to combat almost completely what is related to relapse and the consequences of relapses. But in fact, we see in many patients without any relapse, without any MRI activity, what we call PIRA. PIRA, for progression independent of relapse activity, which is globally subtle changes. You know, over time, it takes sometimes months or years, but at the end, the patient is more disabled and we need absolutely to use some tools beyond the classical EDSS only. In MS, most of the neurologists in the world use, only EDSS, which is not sensitive enough to detect this subtle progression, and because in the near future, we will have new drugs targeting this subtle progression, we need to be able to detect it more accurately, not only in clinical trials for research, but also in routine. And the MSCopilot in the MS-DETECT trial, it’s an international multicenter study in the US, in Europe mainly, including more than 240 patients during a significant period of time, and to be able to compare the data given by the tool, the digital tool, comparing with EDSS. And the objective, of course, is to know if what we are able to detect with a tool is much more sensitive than what we are able to detect with EDSS. The biomarker we use is walking capacities, time to walk, or to walk during 30 minutes, the distance during 30 minutes. The capacity to use the upper limbs is equivalent on a smartphone, of course, on the nine-hole peg test. And also using the smartphone, on the smartphone, the equivalent of the SDMT is a really simple cognitive test. And also the fourth biomarker we use is low-contrast visual acuity. Independently, all these biomarkers are known to be associated with disability progression and together it’s very interesting to look at changes, subtle changes over time. And patients are evaluated both in the clinic to have an EDSS, but also using the digital tool on the smartphone. And also, interestingly, in the study, we compare the data obtained by the digital tool in the clinic and after also at home because it’s relatively simple and a lot of patients appreciate using it because it’s maybe a little bit fun to use the smartphone to do this test and we have a good level of retention, you know, after we have presented some partial data, but we know also in different meetings that we have after 18 months, for most of the patients, we are globally 75 to 80% still in the study. Because previously, we know that the use of digital tools is very complex for patients, and after a couple of months, there are many discontinuations, in fact. So with limitations of the interpretation of the data, of course. But with MS-DETECT, using MSCopilot from a small company, Ad scientiam, a French company, maybe I think it’s interesting for patients to use it. We will have the final results next year.

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