SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Allegro Ophthalmics, LLC, a company dedicated to establishing Integrin Peptide Therapy as the next-generation pharmaceutical category for the treatment of vascular eye diseases, and The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust will co-present at the fifth annual Partnering for Cures meeting taking place November 3-5, 2013 in New York City. Convened by FasterCures, the Washington, D.C.-based center of the Milken Institute, Partnering for Cures will bring together leaders across all medical research sectors with the express purpose of making collaboration happen.
As part of the 2013 Innovator Presentations, Allegro and the Helmsley Charitable Trust will share insights into their collaborative partnership approach to accelerating medical research and commercialization of a new class of therapeutic drugs for vascular and retinal eye diseases, including wet age-related macular degeneration (Wet AMD), diabetic macular edema (DME) and vitreomacular traction (VMT). Leveraging Allegro’s innovative approach to drug development and the Helmsley Charitable Trust’s dedication to improving the lives of people living with type 1 diabetes (T1D), they will jointly address how the Helmsley Charitable Trust’s commitment to “venture philanthropy” has significantly advanced the progress of making new treatment options available to doctors and patients.
“The goal of the research portfolio of the T1D program is to identify and develop new ways to treat and prevent T1D,” said Gina Agiostratidou, Ph.D., Senior Program Officer, the Helmsley Charitable Trust. “To achieve this goal, we strive to identify and support promising early-stage research opportunities that have a clear pathway to development and, ultimately, availability for people with T1D. We decided to support the development of Integrin Peptide Therapy, expecting to offer T1D patients who are legally blind or at risk of blindness the opportunity to regain and maintain functional vision, significantly improving their quality of life.”
“In less than four years, Allegro has gone from molecule discovery and establishing human safety and initial efficacy of Integrin Peptide Therapy to starting Phase II studies in multiple indications,” said Marc Kirshbaum, Chief Operating Officer, Allegro Ophthalmics. “The support of the Helmsley Charitable Trust has been a critical component of our success, and we look forward to sharing more insight into this collaboration, as well as our innovative approach to quickly and methodically bringing a novel drug to doctors and patients, at Partnering for Cures 2013.”
Vicken Karageozian, M.D., Co-Founder & CTO, Allegro Ophthalmics, Marc Kirshbaum, COO, Allegro Ophthalmics, and Gina Agiostratidou, Ph.D., Senior Program Officer, the Helmsley Charitable Trust will present “A Faster Way Forward: Allegro’s Innovative Approach to The Science & Business of Drug Development” on Monday, November 4th from 11:15-11:40 am at the Grand Hyatt, New York City.
Partnering for Cures is convened by FasterCures, the Milken Institute's Center for Accelerating Medical Solutions, a nonprofit think tank and catalyst for action that works across sectors and diseases to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the medical research enterprise. To learn more about Partnering for Cures, visit www.partneringforcures.org.
About the Helmsley Charitable Trust
The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust aspires to improve lives by supporting effective organizations in a variety of selected areas. Since 2008, when the Trust began its active grantmaking, it has committed more than $900 million. The Helmsley Type 1 Diabetes Program is the largest private funder of T1D-related research, treatment and support programs. For more information, please visit www.helmsleytrust.org.
About Allegro Ophthalmics, LLC
With more than 100 years of combined experience in ophthalmic drug discovery, development and manufacturing, Allegro Ophthalmics, LLC is establishing Integrin Peptide Therapy as the next-generation pharmaceutical category for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration, diabetic macular edema and vitreomacular traction, which together affect more than six million people in the US. By quickly, safely and cost-effectively bringing to market new and improved treatment options for these leading causes of blindness, Allegro is committed to offering patients an improved quality of life sustained by self-sufficient, functional vision. For more information, visit www.allegroeye.com.
