Novartis Canada Recognizes MS Awareness Month with the Third Annual My Krew Campaign

• Approximately 90,000 Canadians live with multiple sclerosis (MS), a disease that impacts the central nervous system.¹ Canada has one of the highest rates of MS in the world, with an average of 12 diagnosed every day.¹ 
• My Krew is an award-winning campaign sharing real stories of Canadians living with MS and educational resources.
• Seven Canadian MS patients make up My Krew and have supported Novartis Canada in its mission since 2021.

MONTREAL, May 4, 2026 /CNW/ - This Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Awareness Month, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc. ("Novartis Canada") is bringing together the MS community through its My Krew Campaign. The My Krew platform is informed by a group of seven individuals from across the country who live with MS.

Building on insights from a patient council established in 2021, the initiative focuses on sharing practical resources, real-world perspectives on life with MS, and guidance on how to engage in meaningful treatment discussions with healthcare providers. Developed by patients, for patients, My Krew encourages Canadians living with MS to share their own experiences.

MS affects the central nervous system and can cause symptoms such as fatigue, mobility challenges, and cognitive difficulties. Early intervention can minimize disease activity, delay disability progression, and improve overall quality of life.

Unfortunately, lack of education about MS symptoms remains one of the most significant barriers to early diagnosis. MS Awareness Month provides an important opportunity to highlight the early signs of the disease to enable new diagnoses, or for those already diagnosed to examine if their current treatment plan is providing optimal management or if new options should be explored with their healthcare provider.

"Receiving an MS diagnosis is life changing," explains Artee Mantua, patient advocate and My Krew member. "At the start, I didn't fully understand what it meant to live with MS. Through My Krew and open conversations with my neurologist and others, I learned how important connection is and how critical it is to get on the right treatment early so I can continue performing at work, staying active, and living well. But it goes beyond that. My dog Harper is a constant in my life and a key reason I take my health seriously. She grounds me, and she is at the center of the decisions I make to stay well."

My Krew resources, including a seven-episode video series about advocacy, treatment, and symptoms, are available on Facebook and Instagram, and MyRules.ca. In 2025, the campaign expanded into 30 MS clinics nationwide to share the digital "Treatment Goal Quiz" with patients and healthcare professionals, to help identify a treatment plan that works for them.

"Over time, goals for your disease management can evolve for several reasons. For some MS patients, their disease has progressed from one stage to another, and the treatment that was working previously may no longer be the right one," says Dr. Reza Vosoughi, Neurologist, Associate Professor at St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto. "As patients go through their MS journey, patients and their care providers should become partners in treatment decision making. This is a life journey that we walk together, and there should always be a mutual conversation to ensure the treatment goals can evolve as needed."

Approximately ten per cent of individuals with MS in Canada are initially diagnosed with progressive forms.¹ Yet representation and awareness of progression remain limited. As part of its ongoing commitment to advancing open and informed dialogue about progression, Novartis is actively developing resources such as the Disease Activity Monitoring Checklist, a Disease Activity Booklet, and My Krew episodes focused on Progression.

"We need to make progression information and resources more accessible to patients; they want this because it validates their experience. So many people with advancing symptoms feel isolated," shares My Krew member, Ardra Shephard. "Openly discussing the realities of progression is not about causing fear; it's about providing validation and ensuring that all people with MS feel seen and supported, no matter where they are in their journey."

Novartis Canada remains committed to advancing innovation in neuroscience and supporting initiatives that matter to the MS community. Through collaboration with healthcare professionals, patients, and caregivers, Novartis aims to help improve outcomes and quality of life for people living with MS across Canada.

"As a country with one of the highest rates of MS in the world,² Canadian leaders in neuroscience have a unique responsibility to support those impacted by this progressive disease," said Jason Brown, Vice President, Neuroscience, Novartis Canada. "This MS Awareness Month – and every day – Novartis Canada is committed to supporting the MS community; not only by delivering high-efficacy treatment but also by creating spaces like My Krew designed for education, raising awareness, and accelerating diagnosis."

The campaign has received recognition for four PR and industry awards in Best Use of Social, Digital Media and Influencer Marketing. In 2026, My Krew continues to evolve, offering updated MS progression resources on MyRules.ca.

About Multiple Sclerosis
MS is a chronic, often disabling immune disease that attacks the central nervous system (CNS), made up of the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerve. MS can be characterized into four main types: clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), relapsing remitting (RRMS), secondary progressive (SPMS) and primary progressive (PPMS).³ These forms can be distinguished based on whether someone experiences relapses (clearly defined acute inflammatory attacks of worsening neurological function), and/or whether they experience progression of neurologic damage and disability from the onset of the disease.⁴

About Novartis
Novartis is an innovative medicines company. Every day, we work to reimagine medicine to improve and extend people's lives so that patients, healthcare professionals and societies are empowered in the face of serious disease. Our medicines reach nearly 300 million people worldwide. In Canada, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc. employs approximately 500 people to serve the evolving needs of patients and the healthcare system and invests over $36 million in R&D yearly in the country. Reimagine medicine with us: Visit us at www.novartis.ca and connect with us on LinkedIn. 

References

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¹ https://mscanada.ca/ms-research/latest-research/prevalence-and-incidence-of-ms-in-canada-and-around-the-world Accessed March 2026.

² MS Society of Canada. Prevalence and incidence of MS in Canada and around the world. Available at: https://mssociety.ca/research-news/article/prevalence-and-incidence-of-ms-in canada-and-around-the-world. Last accessed December 9, 2025.

³ MS Society of Canada. What is MS – Types. Available at: mssociety.ca/about-ms/types. Last accessed December 9, 2025.

⁴ Types of MS and MS progression. Novartis. (n.d.). https://www.novartis.com/diseases/multiplesclerosis/types-ms-and-ms-progression. Last accessed December 9, 2025.

SOURCE Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc.

Novartis media contact: Rafaela Righetti, Communications & Patient Advocacy Lead, Neuroscience, Email: [email protected], Phone: [phone]