Real-World Patient Insights on MS Treatment Revealed in New Research from Biogen, MyHealthTeam, and Spherix
Published survey reveals drivers behind treatment decisions
SAN FRANCISCO, CA, December 10, 2025 – New research co-authored by researchers from Biogen, Spherix, and MyHealthTeam, a Swoop company, offers real-world insights into the treatment experience for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The study, titled “Patient and healthcare provider experience of diroximel fumarate: considerations for selecting disease-modifying therapy,” provides healthcare providers (HCPs) and pharmaceutical brand managers with a deeper understanding of the factors that drive treatment decisions and impact patient quality of life.
The study, which surveyed 535 members of MyMSTeam, an online community with more than 200,000 members, analyzed the real-world benefits and tolerability of the disease-modifying therapy (DMT), diroximel fumarate (DRF). The findings highlight the importance of patient-reported outcomes in developing effective, patient-first marketing strategies.
“Every stage of the drug life cycle benefits from listening to patients,” said Eric Peacock, Co-founder and President of MyHealthTeam and Swoop Chief Patient Officer. “In this study, we saw that the reasons neurologists switched patients to DRF were aligned with the real word experiences patients on the drug reported.”
Key highlights from the research include:
- Positive Patient Outcomes: 70 percent of patients using DRF reported at least one physical benefit, such as slowed disease progression and decreased relapses. Furthermore, 46 percent experienced emotional and quality-of-life benefits.
- Drivers for Switching: The most common reasons for switching to DRF were lack of efficacy or poor tolerability of a previous DMT, demonstrating a clear need to align treatment choice with individual patient experience.
Understanding the nuances of the patient journey — from the drivers of a treatment switch to the real-world benefits of improved quality of life — is essential for creating omnichannel marketing campaigns that connect with and support patients at critical decision points.
“Patient research with Biogen on an earlier MS treatment (DMF) revealed GI issues as a driver of nonadherence,” said Peacock. “It’s nice to see that with DRF patients find it tolerable and beneficial.”
This publication is the latest in a long line of published patient research, which includes over 75 conference posters and six published journal articles. Tapping into the authentic voice of the patient uncovers unparalleled insights that empower pharmaceutical manufacturers to improve outcomes.
Contact:
Marcella Milliet Sciorra
Chief Marketing Officer
[email protected]
