7 th International Immunoglobulin Conference: Interlaken Leadership Awards

Summary The Interlaken Leadership Awards ( ILA s), established in 2010, are monetary grants pledged annually by CSL Behring to fund research into the use of immunoglobulin ( Ig ) therapy, especially into its use in neurological disorders. Five recipients of the 2011/2012 Awards were invited to present their research at the 7th International Immunoglobulin Conference. Dr H onnorat reports on paraneoplastic neurological syndromes ( PNS ). His multi‐centre Phase II trial, currently under way, will assess the efficacy of IVIg therapy in treating PNS in the first 3 months of treatment. Dr G eis shows improved disease scores after IVIg treatment in a mouse model of neuromyelitis optica ( NMO ). It is hoped that these promising results will translate well into human NMO . Dr S chmidt studied IVIg therapy in an mdx mouse model for D uchenne muscular dystrophy ( DMD ). He reports that motor function improved and myopathic changes in skeletal muscles and creatine kinase release were decreased. Dr Gamez presents the design and rationale for a Phase II clinical trial investigating the preoperative use of IVIg therapy in myasthenia gravis patients to prevent post‐operative myasthenic crisis. Dr G oebel reports results from studies elucidating the immune‐mediated pathogenesis of complex regional pain syndrome ( CRPS ), the successful IVIg therapy in a proportion of CRPS patients, and the development of a model for predicting which patients are more likely to respond to Ig therapy.