Nationwide Access to New Multi-Analyte Laboratory Test for Multiple Sclerosis

Menlo Park, CA — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Octave Bioscience, a commercial-stage precision care company pioneering a new standard for managing multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, today announced a strategic collaboration with Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX), a leading provider of diagnostic information services, to make the OctaveⓇ Multiple Sclerosis Disease Activity (MSDA) Test accessible through Quest’s nationwide specimen collection network.

Providers that order the test from Octave will be able to refer patients with a test requisition to one of Quest’s 7,000 patient service centers and in-office phlebotomists across the United States. It also gives Quest first rights to consider to provide specimen collection services for future novel tests Octave is developing for MS and Parkinson’s disease.

“At Quest, we are committed to delivering diagnostics that empower people and their providers to make better-informed clinical decisions and advance the standard of care in neurodegenerative diseases like MS,” said Michael Racke, MD, a board-certified neurologist and senior medical director of Neurology, Quest Diagnostics. “The Octave MSDA Test is an important clinical innovation because it harnesses comparatively simple blood testing to illuminate relapse and treatment response in patients with MS, helping to reduce reliance on specialized imaging technologies alone. By making it available through our nationwide network of patient service centers, Quest is making it easier for patients and their physicians across the country to access these insights.”

The Octave MSDA Test is the first and only clinically¹ and analytically² validated multi-analyte blood test that reports an MS disease activity score. It provides clinicians with reliable, objective data to support and inform proactive treatment decisions including whether or not to initiate, discontinue or switch a drug therapy. In a study published in Clinical Immunology,¹ the MSDA Test outperformed a single biomarker (NfL) test, offering early detection and deeper insights into MS disease activity.

“We are excited to collaborate with Quest Diagnostics to expand access to precision MS care,” said Doug Biehn, CEO of Octave Bioscience. “With Quest, the Octave MSDA Test will be available nationwide and simpler for physicians to order, establishing a scalable path to bring forward additional tests from Octave’s expanding portfolio in neurological disease over time and reinforcing Octave’s leadership in precision neurology.”

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic disease of the central nervous system that affects more than 1 million people in the US. Today, MS is commonly managed with clinical assessments, patient-reported symptoms, and MRI imaging. However, this is challenging because symptoms and MRI activity often do not align,³ highlighting the need for biomarkers to reflect the underlying biology.

The Octave MSDA Test uses a simple blood test to measure 18 validated protein biomarkers, giving clinicians and patients a clear, data-driven view of disease activity to guide proactive treatment decisions. The test is reimbursed by multiple payers and supported by a patient affordability program. The MSDA Test is performed in Octave’s CLIA-certified, CAP-accredited, and New York State CLEP-approved laboratory in Menlo Park, California.

References:

Chitnis T, Foley J, Ionete C, et al. Clinical validation of a multi-protein, serum-based assay for disease activity assessments in multiple sclerosis. Clin Immunol. 2023;253:109688. doi:10.1016/j.clim.2023.109688
Qureshi F, Hu W, Loh L, et al. Analytical validation of a multi-protein, serum-based assay for disease activity assessments in multiple sclerosis. Proteomics Clin Appl. 2023;17(3):e2200018. doi:10.1002/prca.202200018
Dünschede J, Ruschil C, Bender B, et al. Clinical-Radiological Mismatch in Multiple Sclerosis Patients during Acute Relapse: Discrepancy between Clinical Symptoms and Active, Topographically Fitting MRI Lesions. J Clin Med. 2023;12(3):739. Published 2023 Jan 17. doi:10.3390/jcm12030739