Over the last few years the field of complement drug discovery has witnessed a true resurgence of complement therapeutics in an evolving clinical landscape galvanized by game-changing mechanistic, translational and clinical developments. The recent clinical approvals of a set of mechanistically distinct complement inhibitors targeting the initiation routes, the central step of C3 activation or downstream terminal effector signaling have expanded the clinical arsenal of complement therapeutics bringing tailored complement intervention closer to fruition. These developments have also bolstered confidence in the safety and broader therapeutic scope of complement inhibition. In fact, a multitude of drug candidates are advancing through late-stage clinical development as treatment options for various indications. At the same time, pathway-specific complement modulators serve as elegant molecular tools for dissecting the contribution of aberrant complement signaling to disease pathology.
Embracing these exciting developments, we are delighted to announce the 18th International Conference on Complement Therapeutics in Sissi, Crete which will bring together leading experts and innovators from both academia and industry to share new data and discuss the latest developments in therapeutic design, clinical trials and new aspects of complement-driven pathophysiology in both established and emerging indications.
Our growing understanding of complement's key involvement in CNS development -along with the recognition that complement dysregulation drives pathological synaptic elimination through an aberrantly reactivated microglial–astrocytic signaling axis that amplifies neuroinflammatory damage and cognitive decline across a broad spectrum of neurodegenerative diseases - has brought therapeutic complement modulation to the forefront as a promising strategy for treating acute and chronic neurological disorders. In addition to covering fundamental aspects of complement pathobiology, this year’s program will spotlight the rapidly evolving 'complement–CNS–neuroinflammation' interface while also featuring cutting-edge presentations spanning the entire spectrum of complement therapeutics.
