Graybug Vision Appoints Leading Ophthalmologists and Retinal Experts to Join Its Scientific Advisory Board


REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Aug. 03, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Graybug Vision, Inc. (“Graybug”), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing transformative medicines to treat chronic vision-threatening diseases of the retina and optic nerve, today announced the appointment of leading ophthalmologists and retinal experts to provide external scientific counsel on the company's research and development programs.

The members of Graybug’s Scientific Advisory Board will work closely with the Graybug leadership team, as the company advances the clinical development of its portfolio of product candidates. "We are excited to work with this distinguished group of ophthalmic thought leaders, as we aim to address critical unmet medical needs in retinal diseases and glaucoma,” said Frederic Guerard, Chief Executive Officer of Graybug Vision. “Their deep expertise and understanding of ophthalmology as well as all stages of drug development will be invaluable in our quest to deliver therapies that are designed to improve patient compliance, reduce healthcare burdens and ultimately deliver better clinical outcomes for patients suffering from vision-threatening diseases.”

The members of Graybug’s Scientific Advisory Board are as follows:

David S. Boyer, M.D., is a world-renowned clinician, surgeon, and educator at the Retina-Vitreous Associates Medical Group in Southern California. He is an Adjunct Clinical Professor at USC/Keck School of Medicine. Dr. Boyer is board certified in ophthalmology and has completed formal sub-specialty training in medical and surgical diseases of the retina, vitreous, and macula. Dr. Boyer is a leading investigator for various national clinical trials on retinal diseases and serves as an advisor for multiple research, educational and charitable institutions. He received his medical degree from the Chicago Medical School, finished his residency at the Los Angeles USC County Medical Center, and completed his retinal surgery fellowship at the Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia.

Frederick L. Ferris III, M.D., Director of Ophthalmic Research Consultants, spent his distinguished career at the National Eye Institute (NEI), National Institutes of Health, where he was Director of the Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Applications. He also held the position of the Clinical Director until he retired from NEI in 2017. Dr. Ferris is a board-certified ophthalmologist and epidemiologist. He has published over 300 manuscripts in peer review journals and has been involved in dozens of national and international clinical trials. He received an A.B. degree from Princeton University and completed his medical training, internship and ophthalmology residency at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

Jeffrey Heier, M.D., is the Co-President and Medical Director, Director of the Vitreoretinal Service, and Director of Retina Research at Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston. He is one of the leading retinal clinical researchers in the United States for new treatments in exudative and non-exudative macular degeneration, diabetic macular edema, venous occlusive disease, vitreoretinal surgical techniques and instrumentation, and diagnostic imaging of the retina, and is the lead investigator for numerous clinical trials. Dr. Heier lectures nationally and internationally on retinal research and the innovative approach to the treatment of retinal diseases. He has authored or co-authored over 100 works in peer-reviewed journals, as well as served as a reviewer for several peer-review journals. Dr. Heier is on the Executive Board of the Retina Society, on the Executive Committee of the American Society of Retinal Specialists, and a member of the Macula Society. He received his medical degree from Boston University, then completed a transitional internship and ophthalmology residency at Fitzsimons Army Medical Center. He completed his vitreoretinal fellowship at Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston/Tufts University School of Medicine.

Arshad M. Khanani, M.D., M.A., is Managing Partner, Director of Clinical Research, and Director of Fellowship at Sierra Eye Associates and Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine. He is a fellowship-trained vitreoretinal specialist and a board-certified ophthalmologist. Dr. Khanani founded the clinical research section at Sierra Eye Associates and has been a principal investigator for more than 50 clinical trials. His articles have been published in top ophthalmology journals and he lectures at medical meetings worldwide. Dr. Khanani is an elected member of the Retina Society; he has received numerous awards, including the ASRS Senior Honor Award and Health Care Hero Award, and has been consistently named one of America’s top ophthalmologists. He completed his fellowship in vitreoretinal diseases and surgery at the University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center, and performed his residency in ophthalmology at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, School of Medicine.

Carl D. Regillo, M.D., F.A.C.S., is the Director of the Retina Service of Wills Eye Hospital, Professor of Ophthalmology at Thomas Jefferson University School of Medicine, and principal investigator of numerous international clinical trials investigating new forms of treatment for macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and a variety of other retinal conditions. He is the founder and former Director of the Wills Eye Clinical Retina Research Unit, prior Chairman of the Wills Eye Institutional Review Board and prior Chairman of the American Academy’s Basic and Clinical Science Course Retina Section Committee. Dr. Regillo has authored over 200 scientific papers, lectured nationally and abroad, and has published nine major textbooks in the field. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and an active member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, Retina Society, Macula Society, and American Society of Retina Specialists. Dr. Regillo graduated from Northeastern University College of Pharmacy and received his medical degree from Harvard Medical School. He performed his ophthalmology residency and vitreoretinal fellowship at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia.

Rishi P. Singh, M.D., is a surgeon at the Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic, and Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at the Lerner College of Medicine, Cleveland. He also serves as the Medical Director of Informatics at the Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Singh specializes in the treatment of medical and surgical retinal disease such as diabetic retinopathy, retinal detachment, and age-related macular degeneration. He has authored more than 140 peer reviewed publications, books, and book chapters and serves as the principal investigator of numerous national clinical trials advancing the treatment of retinal disease. Dr. Singh is the former president on the Retina World Congress, he is on the board of the American Society of Retina Specialists and has been honored with several research recognitions. He received his medical degrees from Boston University and performed his residency at the Massachusetts Eye and Infirmary Harvard Combined Program in Boston. Dr. Singh completed his medical and surgical fellowship at the Cole Eye Institute in Cleveland.

About Graybug Vision
Graybug Vision is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing transformative medicines to treat chronic diseases of the retina and optic nerve. The company’s proprietary ocular delivery technologies are designed to maintain effective drug levels in ocular tissue for up to six months and potentially longer, improving patient compliance, reducing healthcare burdens and ultimately delivering better clinical outcomes. Graybug’s lead product candidate, GB-102, a microparticle depot formulation of sunitinib malate, inhibits multiple neovascular pathways for the intravitreal treatment of retinal diseases, including wet age-related macular degeneration, with a six-month dosing regimen. Graybug is also using its proprietary technologies to develop GB-401, an injectable depot formulation of a beta-adrenergic prodrug, for primary open angle glaucoma, with a dosing regimen of once every six months or longer, and GB-103, a longer-acting version of GB-102, designed to maintain therapeutic drug levels in the retinal tissue for 12 months with a single injection. Founded in 2011 on the basis of technology licensed from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Graybug is headquartered in Redwood City, California. For more information, please visit www.graybug.com.

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Bettina Maunz
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