Octave Bioscience Awarded Valhalla Foundation Grant to Accelerate Development of the First MS Disease Progression Test

MENLO PARK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Octave Bioscience, Inc., a commercial-stage precision care company pioneering biomarker-driven solutions for multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurodegenerative diseases, today announced that it is advancing development of the world’s first biomarker blood test for MS progression with support from the Valhalla Foundation.

Building on the success of Octave’s MS Disease Activity (MSDA) Test, the first validated AI-enabled multi-protein blood test for MS, the Multiple Sclerosis Disease Progression (MSDP) Test will extend Octave’s leadership in precision neurology. The grant will fund the identification of individual proteins and the development of multi-analyte biomarker models, advancing the MSDP Test toward commercial viability as a complementary solution to MSDA. In collaboration with leading academic partners worldwide, Octave will use advanced assays to study proteins in MS patients, with findings to be published in a leading peer-reviewed journal.

“Octave's research to discover and validate unique biomarkers for MS progression has the potential to deliver a transformative measurement tool that provides critical insights for both drug developers and physicians to fundamentally improve the lives of patients,” said Sara Allan, President Valhalla Foundation.

“Octave is poised to tackle one of the most critical problems facing the MS field, that of reliably measuring the biology of progressive disease,” said Dr. Jennifer Graves, Senior Medical Advisor at Octave and Professor of Neurosciences at UC San Diego. “If you can measure something, you can target it. Octave's delivery of a progressive MS biomarker test will fuel therapeutic development and improved management of the most challenging aspects of MS. Valhalla’s strategic investment is critically timed to advance a biomarker test in the setting of an ever-increasing number of patients aging with MS and facing progressive disease.”

MSDP Test addresses one of the most urgent unmet needs in MS: the lack of reliable tools to measure or predict progression. Today, physicians and patients must rely on subjective assessments and infrequent imaging, leaving critical changes undetected until disability has advanced. Octave’s test will combine multi-protein biomarkers with AI-driven algorithms to deliver objective scores that track progression over time, empowering physicians to make earlier, more confident treatment decisions. Delivered as a simple blood test, the MSDP Test is being designed for all MS patients including Relapsing Remitting MS (RRMS), Primary Progressive MS (PPMS), and Secondary Progressive MS (SPMS).

About Octave Bioscience, Inc.

Octave Bioscience, Inc. is a commercial stage precision care company pioneering biomarker-driven solutions for neurodegenerative diseases, with initial focus on Multiple Sclerosis, and Parkinson’s Disease in partnership with Michael J. Fox Foundation. Octave’s comprehensive testing solutions provide objective, actionable insights to improve disease monitoring, treatment decisions, and patient outcomes. For more information, visit www.octavebio.com.

About Valhalla Foundation, Inc.

Valhalla Foundation aims to drive measurable and meaningful improvement in the lives of children and families and the health of our planet through investments in six program areas: Early Childhood Development, K-12 Education, Data Science Education, Medical Research & Talent, Environmental Innovation and Collaborative Philanthropy. The foundation invests in ideas backed by robust evidence of impact and rooted in deep understanding of the needs of the communities it seeks to serve. Across its program areas, the foundation prioritizes working collaboratively with other funders to expand available resources for compelling ideas, build strong evidence of impact and improve the effectiveness of philanthropy. Learn more at valhalla.org.