A new blood test has received CE marking for the detection of neuroinflammation in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.¹ It measures neurofilament light chain, or NfL for short – a protein released when nerve cells are damaged.² The minimally invasive test can improve MS monitoring and facilitate clinical decisions.²˒³
Roche’s Elecsys® Neurofilament Light Chain (NfL) test has received CE Mark approval for the detection of neuroinflammation in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).1

The development of the test represents an important innovation in multiple sclerosis disease management and provides clinicians with a minimally invasive method to monitor the neuronal damage caused by multiple sclerosis. Through a simple blood test to measure NfL – a protein released when nerve cell damage occurs – the Elecsys® NfL test provides a picture of the neuroinflammation associated with multiple sclerosis and could help to make regular monitoring accessible to more sufferers.

Because NfL levels in the blood naturally increase with age, the Elecsys® NfL test provides age-corrected norms (percentiles) that make it easier for doctors to interpret the results4. They enable comparison with a healthy reference group of the same age and can help to distinguish disease-related neuronal damage from normal aging processes and to avoid misinterpretations. These insights could complement routine clinical assessments and MRI scans, contributing to earlier and more informed disease management.
The Elecsys® NfL test runs on Roche’s widely used cobas® analysis systems and reliably delivers standardized and consistent results,1 regardless of where the test is performed. Since only a simple blood sample is required, the collection can be done in the doctor’s office, eliminating the need for patients to visit specialized centers. For laboratories, automated high-throughput testing on cobas® analysis systems enables maximum workflow efficiency.

Multiple sclerosis is a chronically progressive disease that affects over 280,000 people in Germany.5 Early and regular monitoring of disease activity is crucial for optimizing treatment. However, access to regular MRI examinations is often associated with hurdles – blood-based tests such as the Elecsys® NfL test can support monitoring here.

About NfL

Neurofilament light chain (NfL) is a cytoskeletal protein6 that is found almost exclusively in neurons7 and is a sensitive indicator of neuroaxonal damage2,8. Under normal conditions, NfL is released from the axons in small amounts6; however, the release increases with age9 and also after other brain damage6. Consequently, abnormally elevated NfL concentrations can be measured in cerebrospinal fluid and blood in a number of acute and chronic neurological diseases.2,6,8

About Elecsys® NfL

The Roche Elecsys® NfL is a quantitative in vitro immunoassay for the measurement of the NfL protein in human serum and plasma. Elecsys® NfL is designed to mirror neuroinflammation in adult patients diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.2 It provides age-corrected norms (percentiles) to help physicians interpret NfL levels compared to a peer group of the same age. The test runs in IVD quality on Roche’s widely used, fully automated cobas systems for standardized high-throughput testing.

Elecsys NfL – Product information

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References:

[1] Roche Diagnostics GmbH. Elecsys NfL. Method Sheet 09880488500 V1.0. Roche Diagnostics GmbH; 2025.
[2] Khalil M, et al. Nat Rev Neurol 2018; 14:577–89 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41582-018-0058-z
[3] Bar-Or A, et al. EBioMedicine 2023;93:104662. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2023.104662
[4] Khalil M, Pirpamer L, Hofer E, et al. Nat Commun 2020;11:812. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-14612-6
[5] Multiple Sclerosis International Federation. (2020). Atlas of MS, 3rd Edition. https://www.atlasofms.org Accessed 18 April 2026.
[6] Gaetani L, et al. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2019; 90:870–81 https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp-2018-320106
[7] Gafson AR, et al. Brain 2020; 143:1975–98 https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awaa098
[8] Freedman MS, et al. EBioMedicine 2024;101:104970. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2024.104970
[9] Itorralba J, Schneider R. Pract Neurol (US) 2024; 23(2):18–21. https://practicalneurology.com/diseases-diagnoses/ms-immune-disorders/the-prognostic-utility-of-neurofilament-light-chain-in-multiple-sclerosis-a-narrative-review/32098/

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