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The International Progressive MS Alliance’s MS Clinical and Imaging Data Resource (CIDR) provides the academic and research community with access to harmonized, anonymized data from more than 13,500 clinical trial participants living with MS, including 72,000 MRI scans and feedback from 200,000 clinical visits.

This unique resource underscores the power of bringing the world together to find solutions for progressive MS. Our hope is that access to this data will accelerate the understanding of MS progression and help investigators design clinical trials aimed at finding solutions and treatments for progressive MS more quickly.

Apply to Access the Data:

Applications to access the data will be open to investigators in Fall 2025.

Investigators with research focused on MS are welcome to apply for access to the data.

Applicants will be asked to describe their proposed work, which is required to focus on understanding MS progression. In-scope proposed work includes natural history modeling, simulation studies, the generation of new outcome measures and/or studying demographic, clinical imaging, and fluid biomarkers and their relationships with outcomes.

The Alliance has convened a data access review committee, including a person living with progressive MS, to evaluate all applications and ensure proposals support research that is within scope and of benefit to the MS community.

 

COMING SOON: APPLY HERE

 

Please review the Data Access Guidelines, which include more specific information and requirements.


Projects that will be considered include:

  • “Natural history” disease modelling based on placebo arms​
  • Demographic, clinical imaging, and fluid biomarkers and their relationships with outcomes, including clinical and imaging​
  • Simulation studies (e.g. Digital placebo twins)​
  • Generation of new outcome measures


Projects that are out-of-scope for the use of this data include:

  • Comparative effectiveness of drugs in full population, subgroups or individual patients (including by simulation or digital methods)​
  • Non-MS-related projects
  • Projects for profit or commercialization*

*Exceptions may be considered with prior authorization and would require additional information, review and signed agreements.

The Data Sharing Initiative promises to “unlock the contributions of clinical trial data...this initiative brings all that data together and says, ‘what can this data tell us?’”

Tim Coetzee, PhD, President and CEO of the National MS Society and Executive Committee Chair of the International Progressive MS Alliance

MS Clinical and Imaging Data Resource F.A.Q.

What Data is Contained in this Resource?
  • Data includes 72,000 MRI scans and feedback from 200,000 clinical visits, collected by more than 13,500 patients living with MS.
  • The data was collected through clinical trials conducted by four pharmaceutical industry organizations; anonymized and harmonized for inclusion in this resource.
Who Can Access the Data?

Investigators with research focused on MS are welcome to apply for access to the data.

How will this Resource Improve Future Clinical Trials?
  • Imaging tools may be able to predict which types of patients will respond to certain treatments, making clinical trials more focused and streamlined.
  • Providing access to this amount of data will help investigators reduce the time and costs associated with clinical trial development and conduct more informed research.
Who is Involved in the Development of the Community Data Resource?
  • The International Progressive MS Alliance
  • Pharmaceutical industry partners:
    • Biogen
    • Roche
    • Novartis
    • Sanofi
  • The EPITOME Collaborative Research Network, funded by the Alliance and led by Douglas Arnold, MD (McGill University, Montréal, CA)
  • People with MS who have participated in clinical trials, and whose information has been made anonymous in this platform
What are the Requirements of Data Access that I Need to Fulfill?

Applicants will be required to sign a Data Access Agreement, which outlines requirements for the use of the data.

Read more about the MS Clinical and Imaging Data Resource

In depth background article; 'Answering the Big Questions in Progressive MS'

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