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Complement Therapeutics Announces the Establishment of Medical Advisory Board 

Munich, Germany – 14th December 2023 – Complement Therapeutics GmbH (CTx), a preclinical stage biotechnology company developing novel therapeutics for complement-mediated diseases, today announced the formation of its Medical Advisory Board which will help guide the development of the company’s innovative therapeutic pipeline including its lead investigational product CTx001, a gene therapy for geographic atrophy.

“The establishment of this medical advisory board with distinguished specialists will provide CTx with invaluable guidance across various concepts including ophthalmology, complement biology, as well as in our preclinical and clinical development activities. We are delighted that these leading experts have agreed to join the team and assist the company as we progress our lead asset, CTx001, towards the clinic with a strong development plan.” said Parisa Zamiri, MD, Ph.D, Chief Medical Officer of Complement Therapeutics.  

The Medical Advisory Board consists of six esteemed members, led by Chair, Arshad Khanani, MD, MA, FASRS. With the extensive experience and deep expertise our advisory board members, the formation of this board highlights CTx’s commitment to advance its pipeline of products and deliver therapies for diseases driven by complement system dysregulation.

“I am thrilled to chair the medical advisory board of Complement Therapeutics comprising of international experts in dry age-related macular degeneration. Gene therapy has the potential to shift the treatment paradigm for geographic atrophy and I am looking forward working with the advisory board members to help Complement Therapeutics with the development of CTx001.”, said Arshad M. Khanani, MD, MA, FASRS, Chair of the Medical Advisory Board.

Medical Advisory Board Members: 

Arshad M. Khanani, MD, MA, FASRS: Dr. Khanani is the Chair of the Medical Advisory Board and the Managing Partner, Director of Clinical Research and Director of Fellowship at Sierra Eye Associates. Additionally, Dr. Khanani is also a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine. Dr. Khanani has served as a principal investigator for more than 100 clinical trials and has authored more than 100 scientific publications. He has served as the Lead Principal Investigator for multiple gene therapy trials and is a part of numerous scientific advisory boards. Dr. Khanani is an elected member of the Macula Society, Retina Society and has received numerous awards including the Nevada Business Magazine Healthcare Heroes Physician of the Year award (2019), the Senior Honor Award from the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS) and the prestigious ASRS President’s Young Investigator Award in 2021.

Robyn Guymer, MD, Ph.D: Professor 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 400 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 and international working groups including the Ryan AMD initiative and the International Classification of Atrophy (CAM) group. 

Jeffrey S. Heier, MD: Dr. 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 Past 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 K Kaiser, MD:  Dr. Kaiser, is the director of Cole Eye Reading Center, has participated in numerous clinical trials as Study Chair, Executive Committee member, or principle investigator, and has been National Institute of Health RO1-funded. 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 the American Academy of Ophthalmology with a Lifetime Achievement Award and the American Society of Retina Specialists with Senior Honor Award. He has been listed as one of the “Best Doctors in America” since 2002 and has appeared on the Ophthalmologist’s “Power List” as one of the top 100 most influential people in the world of ophthalmology.

Eleonora Lad, MD, Ph.D: Dr. Lad is the Vice Chair of Ophthalmology Clinical Research at Duke University and specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of macular diseases. She is a clinician scientist and retinal ophthalmologist with the primary goal of developing novel strategies for early diagnosis and treatment of AMD and other retinal degenerative disease. Dr. Lad is the recipient of various awards, including the VA Merit Award I01, Patient-Oriented Research Career Development (K23) Award from the National Eye Institute, the 2016 Research to Prevent Blindness Ernest & Elizabeth Althouse Special Scholar Award, the 2016 ARVO/Alcon Early Career Clinician-Scientist Research Award, Heed Foundation award, and the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences incubator award. She is a member of the Macula Society, Retina Society, American Academy of Ophthalmology, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, International Society for Eye Research, Society of Heed Fellows, Society for Neuroscience and American Society for Neural Therapy and Repair.

David Steel, MD: Professor Steelis a Consultant Vitreoretinal Surgeon at Sunderland Eye Infirmary, as well as Honorary Professor of Retinal Surgery at the Bioscience Institute at Newcastle University and Honorary Visiting Professor of Ophthalmology at Liverpool University. Professor Steelhas over 25 years-experience of retinal surgery, over 300 peer reviewed publications with above 11,000 citations, and an H index of 54. He is immediate past President of the British and Eire Association of Vitreoretinal Surgeons (BEAVRS), board member of the Euretina vitreoretinal surgery and research committees, and a board member of the Club Jules Gonin of retinal specialists.

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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. The Company is a spinout from the University of Manchester and is based on the pioneering research of its founders into novel targets within the complement cascade.  

Our lead investigational product (CTx001) is being evaluated as a potential gene therapy for GA, a leading cause of blindness. Additional programmes will evaluate potential therapeutic opportunities in other complement-mediated conditions.  

The Company is also developing a unique quantification methodology, the Complement Precision Medicine (CPM) platform, to enable quantification of over 30 complement cascade proteins enabling more precise diagnosis and monitoring of disease. 

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For more information please visit: https://complementtx.com/ 

Company Contact 

Dr Rafiq Hasan, CEO 
Complement Therapeutics Ltd 
Email: info@complementtx.com