Letter from the Editor

Dear Reader,

At ECTRIMS 2017 in Paris, a number of clinical and scientific advances in Multiple Sclerosis, and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders have been presented. Among the most important findings that are expected to imminently affect clinical practice are the new McDonald diagnostic criteria and the European and US guidelines for MS treatment. Importantly enough, some promising therapeutic interventions for progressive MS have been announced. In addition, few new molecules, some of which with a novel mechanism of action were announced to be potentially effective in controlling RRMS activity. Interestingly enough, new data of either the already established or the newly approved DMTs in RRMS had been announced. Among them were the value of early high-efficacy DMTs use soon after RRMS diagnosis, particularly in the long-term disability control and the appropriate time of DMTs discontinuation, the first global study for paediatric-onset MS treatment with fingolimod and the long term benefit-risk profile of daclizumab. Among the “hot topics” of the meeting were the effect of cladribine in active RRMS and the introduction of the concept of reconstituting the immune system in MS management. A number of several head-to-head studies between well-established treatments in RRMS were also presented. Importantly enough, cognition as a key factor with considerable impact on the overall quality of life and the “cognitive phenotypes” in MS, have been highlighted. Last but not least, several fundamental research highlights such as the potential use of serum neurofilament light in the diagnosis and monitoring of MS, the identification of blood-brain barriers BBB - related molecules in neuroinflammation, the role of anti-MOG Abs in CNS immune-mediated demyelination had been presented. Some additional scientific advances in potential mechanisms related to the underlying immune and neurodegenerative process in MS, were among the most spectacular news at the meeting.

Best Regards,
Nikolaos Grigoriadis, MD, PhD

Biography

Dr. Nikolaos Grigoriadis graduated from the Faculty of Medicine of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He did his PhD thesis and residency in Neurology in the same institution. He has been specialised in clinical and experimental Neuroimmunology and CNS immunopathology in a number of research centres and institutions abroad.He is now Professor of Neurology and Head of the of the B’ Dept of Neurology, AHEPA University Hospital, the MS Centre and the Laboratory of Experimental Neurology and Neuroimmunology.Professor Grigoriadis is member of various international scientific committees such as the European School of Neuroimmunology, ParadigMS, the subcommittee of ENS for Multiple Sclerosis, the ECTRIMS committee (until 2010), Co-founder and Secretary of the Hellenic Academy of Neuroimmunology. Since September 2017 he is the President of the Hellenic Neurological Society. He is ad-hoc reviewer in international scientific journals, co-ordinator in more than 40 multicentre clinical trials for MS and principal investigator in collaborative research projects for cell therapies in CNS autoimmune demyelination. His field of interests are: neuroimmunology; multiple sclerosis; experimental models of autoimmune diseases (EAE etc); neurodegeneration; immunomodulation; cell therapies. He has published more than 150 papers in peer-reviewed journals.





Posted on 9 March, 201723 March, 2021