London, England – 27th September 2022 – Complement Therapeutics Ltd (CTx), a preclinical stage biotechnology company, today announced the formation of its inaugural Clinical & Scientific Advisory Board which will accelerate the development of the company’s novel therapeutic pipeline including its lead investigational product CTx001, a gene therapy for dry age-related macular degeneration/geographic atrophy. Our distinguished advisory board members come with a breadth of extensive experience and expertise in ophthalmology and the complement system and will work closely with CTx management and scientific teams to advance our pipeline of products targeting complement-related diseases.
“The creation of this expert advisory board with renowned international specialists will provide CTx with invaluable counsel across a range of topics including complement biology, ophthalmology, preclinical and clinical development. We are honoured that such esteemed experts have agreed to join our team to support the company as we continue to build our momentum and ensure we enter the clinic with the strongest possible development plan.” said Dr Rafiq Hasan, CEO of Complement Therapeutics.
Clinical & Scientific Advisory Board Members:
Robyn Guymer, Ph.D. Professor Robyn Guymer is the Deputy Director and Head of Macular Research at Centre for Eye Research Australia, leading a team that is primarily investigating AMD, and has authored over 300 peer-reviewed papers. In addition to also being a Professor of Ophthalmology at Melbourne University and a senior retinal specialist at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, she was named a Member in the General Division (AM) in the 2018 Queen’s Birthday Honours List for her significant service in ophthalmology, particularly AMD. Professor Guymer also sits on several pharmaceutical advisory boards including the Beckman/Ryan AMD initiative and the International Classification of Atrophy (CAM) group.
Jeff Heier, MD. Dr. Jeffrey S. Heier is the Director of the Vitreoretinal Service and Director of Retina Research at Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston (OCB), one of the most prestigious ophthalmologic practices in the United States. He is the President of the Retina Society, on the Executive Committee of the American Society of Retina Specialists, Past President of the New England Ophthalmological Society, and a member of the Macula Society. Dr. Heier serves or has served as the Study Chairman or Lead Principal Investigator of numerous clinical trials. Dr. Heier has received the Secretariat and Lifetime Achievement Award from the AAO and Senior Achievement Award from the ASRS. He has authored or co-authored more than 150 works in peer-reviewed journals and has served as a reviewer for journals including the Lancet, Retina, Ophthalmology and New England Journal of Medicine.
Peter Kaiser, MD. Dr Peter K. Kaiser, M.D., is the director of Center for Ocular Research and Evaluation (CORE) and a RO1-funded prinicipal investigator at the National Institute of Health. He is actively involved in clincial research having served as Study Chairman for over 60 trials evaluating new treatments for AMD, DR, and other retinal disorders. Dr. Kaiser has been honored to receive the Lew R. Wasserman Award from the Research to Prevent Blindness and the Macula Society’s Young Investigator Award. Complementing his research endeavors, Dr. Kaiser serves on numerous scientific advisory boards and addresses his research interests as an invited speaker at national and international conferences. Dr. Kaiser has authored 7 textbooks, 30 book chapters, and more than 400 peer-reviewed papers, and is Editor-in-Chief of Retinal Physician, Associate Editor of International Ophthalmology Clinics, and serves on other editorial boards. Dr. Kaiser has been recognized by American Society of Retina Specialists Honor and Senior Honor Awards, along with the American Academy of Ophthalmology Achievement, Senior Achievement, and Lifetime Achievement Awards. He has been listed as one of the “Best Doctors in America” every year since 2002 and has appeared on the Ophthalmologist’s “Power List” in 2016, 2018 and 2020 as one of the top 100 most influential people in the world of ophthalmology.
Paul Morgan, Ph.D. Professor Paul Morgan brings over 30 years’ worth of experience in the complement system and is currently based in Cardiff University in the Division of Infection and Immunity. Professor Morgan has published over 300 research papers and is a research specialist in Clinical Immunology, and is a Member of the College of Physicians, Fellow of the College of Pathologists and Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences. Professor Morgan has been President of the International Complement Society (2011-2014), was elected Fellowship of Academia Europaea in 2015, and is the Group Leader at the UK Dementia Research Institute in Cardiff.
Matthew Pickering, Ph.D. Matthew Pickering is Professor of Rheumatology and Wellcome Trust Senior Fellow in Clinical Science at the Centre for Inflammatory Disease, Department of Immunology and Inflammation, Imperial College London. He is an established international expert on the complement system and its role in health and disease. His clinical expertise includes systemic lupus erythematous and complement deficiency states. His research has achieved international recognition for elucidating the relationship between uncontrolled complement activation and kidney disease. His research program uses genetic characterization of families with complement-mediated renal disease, in vitro studies of complement regulatory proteins and the generation of unique models of complement-mediated kidney disease. He implemented C3 glomerulopathy as a new disease classification within the international kidney pathology and nephrology community and has elucidated the mechanistic basis underlying many types of C3 glomerulopathy. Prof Pickering joins our advisory board on an independent basis through Imperial Consultants.
Nadia Waheed, MD, MPH Dr. Nadia Waheed was the Chief Medical Officer at Gyroscope Therapeutics and previously the Director of the Boston Image Reading Center. She also established the Retina Unit at the Shifa Hospital. She is currently a Professor in Ophthalmology and attending physician specialising in vitreoretinal disorders and surgery and ocular imaging at the Tufts University Department of Ophthalmology. Dr. Waheed has authored over 100 papers in peer-reviewed publications, has co-authored and edited three books in Ophthalmology, and has participated as a principal investigator or co-investigator in multiple clinical trials. She has been recognized by both the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the Macula Society with an Achievement Award.
–ENDS–
For more information please contact:
Complement Therapeutics Ltd
Dr Rafiq Hasan, CEO
Email: rafiq@complementtx.com
Notes to Editor
About Complement Therapeutics Ltd
Complement Therapeutics (CTx) is an early stage biotechnology company focused on the research and development of novel therapeutics for complement-mediated diseases as well as developing a unique quantification methodology, the Complement Precision Medicine (CPM) platform.
The Company is backed by Forbion and Biogeneration Ventures, two of Europe’s leading investors and is based on the pioneering research of its founders into novel targets within the complement cascade and its quantification. The CPM platform employs a unique methodology to quantify over 30 complement cascade proteins.
Our lead investigational product (CTx001) is a gene therapy for dry age-related macular degeneration/geographic atrophy, a leading cause of blindness. Additional programmes will evaluate potential therapeutic opportunities in other complement-mediated conditions.