KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa.,
June 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/
-- CSL Behring announced today that Bart C. Jacobs, M.D., Ph.D., Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands, is the recipient of
the 2014 Interlaken Leadership Awards for original research
in the field of neuroimmunology. Established in 2010, this annual
global awards program provides monetary grants and/or product
supply for investigational use to researchers whose proposals are
likely to advance innovative medical research and knowledge about
the potential role of immunoglobulin (Ig) therapy in the treatment
of neurological disorders.
A global, cross-functional CSL Behring review committee selected
Dr. Jacobs' proposal to investigate the efficacy of intravenous
immunoglobulin (IVIg) treatment in patients with mild
Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS). GBS is an inflammatory disorder of
the peripheral nerves characterized by the rapid onset of weakness
and, often, paralysis of the legs, arms, breathing muscles and
face. While IVIg is recommended in severe GBS, current guidelines
recommend providing supportive care only to those with mild forms
of GBS.
"Recent studies have demonstrated that a considerable proportion
of untreated patients with mild Guillain-Barre syndrome have
persistent disability, severe residual fatigue and pain, and poor
quality of life, and my hypotheses is that IVIg may improve disease
in these patients," said Dr. Jacobs. "I am honored to have been
selected by CSL Behring to receive the Interlaken Leadership
Award, and look forward to continuing research into whether
IVIg may improve outcomes for those with mild GBS."
All proposals received for the Interlaken Leadership
Awards program were evaluated based on scientific merit,
strength of hypothesis, relevance to neuroimmunology and
feasibility.
"The Interlaken Leadership Awards underpins CSL Behring's
commitment to saving lives and improving the quality of life for
people with rare and serious diseases worldwide by funding
innovative research that could lead to the discovery of new
treatment options for people who are living with a neurological
disorder," said Bernadine Dixon,
Senior Director, Immunology and Pulmonary, CSL Behring. "We look
forward to the results of Dr. Jacobs' research evaluating the
potential use of IVIg for treatment of mild Guillain-Barre
syndrome, as well as to supporting further original research in the
field of neuroimmunology through the Interlaken Leadership
Awards."
To date, the Interlaken Leadership Awards has awarded
approximately $3.5 million in grants
and/or study drug for research studying Ig therapy in areas such as
neuromyelitis optica (NMO), Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD),
complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), paraneoplastic syndromes,
and autoimmune peripheral neuropathies.
About the International Immunoglobulin Conference in
Interlaken
For more than three decades, CSL Behring has sponsored a high-level
scientific symposium in Interlaken, Switzerland. First held in 1981, and most
recently in April 2014, the
International Immunoglobulin Conference focuses exclusively on
scientific and clinical research in the field of polyvalent
immunoglobulins.
Research presented at the Interlaken Immunoglobulin Conference
is consistently at the forefront of immunoglobulin research. Since
its inception, the conference has won the respect and support of
top international scientists and clinicians from many different
fields of research. For more information, please visit:
http://www.interlakenleadershipawards.com/symposium.aspx.
About CSL Behring
CSL Behring is a leader in the
plasma protein therapeutics industry. Committed to saving lives and
improving the quality of life for people with rare and serious
diseases, the company manufactures and markets a range of
plasma-derived and recombinant therapies worldwide.
CSL Behring therapies are used around the world to treat
coagulation disorders including hemophilia and von Willebrand
disease, primary immune deficiencies, hereditary angioedema and
inherited respiratory disease, and neurological disorders in
certain markets. The company's products are also used in cardiac
surgery, organ transplantation, burn treatment and to prevent
hemolytic diseases in the newborn. CSL Behring operates one of the
world's largest plasma collection networks, CSL Plasma. CSL Behring
is a subsidiary of CSL Limited (ASX:CSL), a biopharmaceutical
company headquartered in Melbourne,
Australia. For more information, visit
http://www.cslbehring.com/.
Media Contact:
Greg
Healy
Senior Manager, Public Relations & Communications
CSL Behring
1-610-878-4841
greg.healy@cslbehring.com
SOURCE CSL Behring