Personalized Medicine and Biomarker Innovations in Multiple Sclerosis Treatment: Enrique Alvarez, MD, PhD

WATCH TIME: 5 minutes

"We are moving toward a better approach, but there are concerns with patient-reported outcomes. Since they rely entirely on patient perception, we encounter challenges at both ends of the spectrum."

The current management of multiple sclerosis (MS) is potentially undergoing a significant transformation through the integration of personalized medicine, remote monitoring, and patient-reported outcomes. Advancements in biomarker research and imaging technologies are aiming to enable more tailored therapeutic strategies, allowing clinicians to predict individual responses to specific treatments and monitor disease progression with greater precision. Concurrently, the adoption of remote monitoring tools and the systematic collection of patient-reported outcomes may reengineer MS care by facilitating continuous, real-time assessments of patient health. These innovations could not only help to enhance patient engagement but also enable healthcare providers to make more informed, timely decisions, ultimately improving clinical outcomes.

Reflecting on these advancements, the 2025 Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) Forum, held February 27 to March 1, in West Palm Beach, Florida, recently hosted a symposium titled “Using Modern Tools and Frameworks to Reengineer Multiple Sclerosis Management.” The event highlighted the evolving understanding of MS as a spectrum disorder and underscored the need for early, well-informed treatment decisions for both relapsing and progressive forms. Experts during the symposium addressed the challenges of disease-modifying therapies in preventing progression and explored the potential of emerging biomarkers and innovative treatments to enhance disease management.

Led by Stephen Krieger, MD, FAAN, with speakers including Jacqueline Nicholas, MD, MPH, and Enrique Alvarez, MD, PhD, the symposium featured case-based discussions aimed at refining clinical strategies, advancing patient-centered care, and integrating more effective monitoring approaches. At the Forum, Alvarez, professor of neurology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, sat down with NeurologyLive^® to further discuss the shift toward personalized MS treatment strategies. He emphasized the importance of distinguishing therapies for progressive and relapsing MS, the growing role of biomarkers in treatment selection, and the limitations of patient-reported outcomes. Alvarez also explored how remote monitoring could improve objective assessments of disease progression, reinforcing the symposium’s focus on modernizing MS management.

Click here for coverage of 2025 ACTRIMS Forum.

REFERENCES
1. Krieger K, Nicholas J, Alvarez E. Time for a Reset: Using Modern Tools and Frameworks to Reengineer Multiple Sclerosis Management. Presented at ACTRIMS Forum 2025; February 27 to March 1; West Palm Beach, Florida. SS3.