Complement System - a clinical area in strong growth

Serving as a discussion platform aimed to lead complement scientists to new and insightful research, the XXVIth International Complement Workshop took place in Kanazawa, Japan beginning of September. The meeting gathered scientists from all over the world and judging from number of attendees and posters presented there, the complement system has proven to be a clinical area in strong growth.

During the meeting, presentations reaching from basic science to clinical applications were held, and several of the posters presented showed data collected from studies using the Wieslab® functional complement ELISA system.

Allowing for functional assessment of the whole complement system by using pathway-specific activators, the ELISAs are not only used to screen for complement deficiencies, but are also recognized in several publications for their ability to assess the efficacy of complement targeted therapies during the development of new drugs, as well as serving as a monitoring tool of complement function/activity in different research settings. As a good example, Achillion Pharmaceuticals presented data demonstrating the Wieslab complement tests as a valuable tool in studying effects of a Complement Factor D related drug – Click to view the Achillion Posters.

Download our flyer to read more about Examples of Research Use - Applications in Drug Development and Clinical Research.

A recently published white paper by Dr R.M.J. Hoedemakers, entitledValidation of the Wieslab® Complement System Screen assay and comparison with a Haemolytic based Method, demonstrates that the Wieslab® Complement System Screen ELISA correlates well with a haemolytic assay. The conclusion drawn from the validation study is that this ELISA can replace the in-house haemolytic assay and will further strengthen and improve complement functional assessment in different clinical situations.

Download the white paper by Dr R.M.J. Hoedemakers entitled Validation of the Wieslab® Complement System Screen assay and comparison with a Haemolytic based Method.

The field of complement-targeted research continues to grow and by bringing together academia and industry scientists, not only clinical experience has been gained but also a better understanding what challenges lie ahead.

Read more about the complement system on our dedicated Complement Website.