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The International Progressive MS Alliance’s MS Clinical and Imaging Data Resource (MS CIDR) provides the academic and research community with access to harmonized, anonymized data from more than 13,000 clinical trial participants living with MS, including 52,000 MRI scans and feedback from nearly 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 Spring 2026.

COMING SOON: APPLY HERE

 

  • If not already registered in the National MS Society application system, register for a user ID and password.* Allow 2 business days for approval.
  • Once you have entered the online application system, select “Data Resource Opportunities” in the left navigation menu, then click “Apply Now” to begin the application process.
  • Complete and submit an application by the posted deadline.

 *If you already have an account that needs to be updated, please reach out to [email protected] 

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS: 

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

Investigators focused on MS research 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.

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


Projects that will be considered for access 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 52,000 MRI scans and feedback from nearly 200,000 clinical visits, collected by more than 13,000 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 focused on MS research 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'

Read Now
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