Pemphigus & Pemphigoid: from the bench to the bedside

International Pemphigus Pemphigoid Fdn, Sacramento CA

Investigators

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Pemphigus and pemphigoid are serious blistering diseases of the skin. Rapid advances are being made in understanding the pathogenesis of pemphigus and pemphigoid and developing novel approaches to these diseases. The first and second national conferences on pemphigus were held on the NIH campus in 2001 and 2005 and were very successful. We now propose a third conference -- "Pemphigus &Pemphigoid: from the bench to the bedside". It will be sponsored by the International Pemphigus and Pemphigoid Foundation, and will bring together basic scientists and clinical investigators working on the mechanisms of, and novel therapeutic approaches to, human autoantibody mediated diseases in general and pemphigus and pemphigoid, in particular. The goal will be to identify areas of research opportunity that will most effectively promote our further understanding of the causes and the treatments of pemphigus and pemphigoid, and to cross-hybridize ideas on how to reach these goals among interested researchers. The Specific Aims of this conference are to: 1) highlight recent advances in defining the pathogenesis of pemphigus and pemphigoid;2) discuss the feasibility of setting up cooperative multinational endeavors, so as to: i) define agreed upon algorithm to treat patients with pemphigus or pemphigoid;and ii) conduct multi-institutional randomized trials;and 3) respond to patient's requests and needs for better information and for more rapid progress in the treatment of these orphan diseases. There will be focused presentations of the clinical trial data in patients with pemphigus and pemphigoid by the leading investigators from all over the world. The scientific presentations will be followed by an extended group discussion of the most urgent, clinically relevant issues that hamper development of safer treatments, and specifically address obstacles to organizing multicenter trials for blistering diseases. We expect the conference will attract 140-160 scientists and clinicians dedicated to investigate and treat pemphigus and pemphigoid.