Case Study: Understanding the impact of COVID-19 in MS

The SARS-CoV-2 infection created difficulties in the therapeutic management of patients with MS, both for the continuation of ongoing therapies and for the start of new treatments aimed at preventing clinical relapses and consequent disability.

Collecting information to evaluate the relationship between multiple sclerosis and COVID-19 and implement immediate and appropriate protective strategies was crucial.

In just 10 days The Evidens™ solutions team stood up and provided a fully customized and user-friendly digital solution to swiftly collect patient information for the Italian Society of Neurology, University of Genoa, and the Italian MS Society.

Named MuSC-19, the registry currently includes 866 patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 from 90 Italian and 59 international sites, representing 23 countries overall.

The first data of MuSC-19 based on a core set of data collected through the platform was published online in Lancet Neurology on April 29^th 2020 about 6 weeks after it was developed.

This initiative helped neurologists navigate care for their patients, make informed clinical decisions under extremely stressful circumstances and establish informed protective strategies. Data from the COVID-19 Registry helped to show that MS may not be a risk factor for COVID-19.

COVID-19 created significant healthcare issues in Italy. Understanding the interplay of COVID-19, MS, and its treatment was top of mind for healthcare providers. Roche collaborated with Italian investigators to swiftly develop a solution for a COVID-19 MS patient registry. This software solution met clinicians’ needs, was easy to use, and was delivered to the investigators in under two weeks. This project improved neurologists’ ability to make informed clinical decisions, and it highlights Roche's commitment to help the MS community, especially in difficult times that could drastically impact their health.