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WALTHAM, Mass., Sept. 12, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — iConquerMS™ (www.iConquerMS.org), a research initiative of the Accelerated Cure Project for Multiple Sclerosis, today launches REAL MS™, a prospective longitudinal study of multiple sclerosis intended to answer important questions about the heterogeneity of the experience of MS across the population of people living with the disease and identify ways to personalize clinical care by identifying factors that affect progression and treatment outcomes. REAL MS™ (Research Engagement About Life with MultipleSclerosis) will encompass a diverse population of thousands of individuals living with MS, who will participate by answering online questionnaires about their disease experience and by providing biosamples for molecular analysis.
REAL MS™ is modeled on the Framingham Heart Study, a longitudinal community-based research study which has had a profound impact on the understanding of the causes of heart disease and how to treat and prevent it. REAL MS™ emphasizes identification of personal characteristics and environmental factors that may interact with genetic predispositions to influence outcomes and the discovery of molecular biomarkers of the disease through genomic and other biochemical profiling. Participation of a diverse population of those living with MS to provide their ideas on research conducted with their information, and a commitment on the part of the iConquerMS™ leadership to promptly and openly share research findings are important aspects of the REAL MS™ study.
“The time is absolutely right to bring personalized medicine to the field of MS,” said Robert McBurney, Ph.D., President and CEO of the Accelerated Cure Project for MS and Co-Principal Investigator for iConquerMS™.
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