Accelerated Cure Project for MS

Accelerated Cure Project's Hollie Schmidt joined a panel at BIO 2026 last week alongside leaders from NVIDIA, Genentech, and the Alzheimer's Association to explore how federated learning is accelerating drug development by streamlining data access and analysis.

The session examined how AI models can be trained across decentralized datasets without pooling individual-level health data into a central repository. For the people whose data is included, that distinction matters. It means expanding the reach and rigor of research while safeguarding their health information.

Hollie represented the community organization perspective, drawing on ACP's work building research infrastructure that makes real-world MS data accessible to scientists without compromising the trust of the people behind it.

Representation in research isn't just about who participates. It's about how data is protected, governed, and returned to the communities that made it possible.

As the MS population ages, one of the most pressing questions facing clinicians and people living with MS is whether, when, and how disease-modifying therapies should be continued, de-escalated, or discontinued.

A newly published long-term follow-up study of people with MS over age 60 adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that treatment decisions later in life may look different than they do earlier in the disease course.

Accelerated Cure Project is also investigating these questions through its own PCORI-supported Aging and MS initiative — bringing together people living with MS, caregivers, clinicians, researchers, and advocacy leaders to synthesize the evidence, identify remaining gaps, and help inform future decision-making.

Because when it comes to aging and MS, the answer isn't simply "stay on treatment" or "stop treatment." It's about finding the right approach for the right person at the right time.

Read the full story from Multiple Sclerosis News Today: https://multiplesclerosisnewstoday.com/news-posts/2026/06/18/stopping-dmts-age-60-tied-low-ms-relapse-risk-study/