Using Serum Biomarkers to Monitor Multiple Sclerosis Disease Activity: Darin T. Okuda, MD, FAAN, FANA

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"Rather than replacing MRI in our clinical exam and the importance of patient-reported outcomes, [these serum biomarker platforms] really provide a different, complementary lens into [multiple sclerosis] biology, which I think is beautiful."

Serum biomarkers are emerging as a complementary tool to MRI and clinical assessment for monitoring disease activity in multiple sclerosis (MS). Multi-analyte platforms, such as the Octave Multiple Sclerosis Disease Activity Test (MSDA) test, aim to quantify underlying inflammatory activity, immune activation, and effects on myelin integrity that may not be fully captured by periodic imaging or routine office visits. By providing a biologic measure of MS disease activity, these assays may help clinicians move toward more precise and proactive treatment decision-making.

At the recently concluded 2026 Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) Annual Meeting, held May 27-29, Charlotte, North Carolina, Darin T. Okuda, MD, FAAN, FANA, moderated a symposium titled “Quantifying MS Disease Activity: Integrating Serum Biomarkers into MS Care.”¹ The session featured Leorah Freeman, MD, PhD, and Matthew Carraro, MD, as panelists, and focused on how serum biomarkers might be incorporated into routine practice to complement MRI, neurologic examination, and patient-reported outcomes. The discussion centered on the evolving evidence base, opportunities for earlier detection of disease activity, and the potential role of these tools in refining risk stratification and long-term management strategies.

In a follow-up interview with NeurologyLive^®, Okuda, a professor of neurology at UT Southwestern Medical Center, expanded on the clinical utility of the Octave MSDA test. Drawing on examples from practice, he described how the test provides a “complementary lens” on MS biology, supports more continuous monitoring of disease activity between visits, and may enable earlier intervention before relapses or new MRI lesions occur. He also discussed its potential predictive value for near-term MS disease activity and considered future scenarios in which serum biomarkers could, in select clinical situations, reduce reliance on MRI for ongoing surveillance.

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REFERENCES
1. Okuda DT, Freeman L, Carraro M. Quantifying MS Disease Activity: Integrating Serum Biomarkers into MS Care. Supporter Showcase Symposium. Presented at: 2026 CMSC Annual Meeting; May 27-29; Charlotte, North Carolina.