Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease of the central nervous system. MS affects about 2.5 million people worldwide, and it is one of the most common neurological disorders in young adults. Also, MS produces a high economic impact in Europe. Thus, this disease represents one of the most significant public health issues with a high socioeconomic impact (€15.5 billion annual costs in Europe).
Despite this, the cure for MS does not exist yet, and therapies do not always correctly work on all patients. Personalized medicine is a must for MS, but the lack of predictive biomarkers and the impossibility to adapt clinical outcomes for each patient makes it unreachable.
In this context, Bioithas, a biotechnology company in the field of health, develops ScleroTest, the first-ever gut microbiota based biomarker for predicting MS treatment response. This project consists of a quick, non-invasive, and accurate point-of-care (PoC) diagnosis tool to predict patient response to early treatment. The final result is the implementation of personalized MS therapies, with an added value for patients, neurologists, and healthcare systems.
ScleroTest would not only represent an improvement in the situation of Multiple Sclerosis patients but also could be implemented in therapies for other diseases. Because of that, Bioithas is developing predictive biomarkers, and probiotics in order to continue improving people’s lives and health through scientific investigation.
