Download The Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins Receives Helmsley

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins Receives Helmsley Charitable Trust
Research Grant for Integrin Peptide Therapy – a New Drug Class to
Treat Vascular Eye Diseases
Allegro Ophthalmics’ Therapy Seeks to Expand Treatment Options For Millions Suffering From
Diabetic Macular Edema, Diabetic Retinopathy and Wet Age-Related
Macular Degeneration
BALTIMORE, MD and SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CA, OCT. 24, 2011 — Allegro Ophthalmics, LLC
announced that its research collaboration with The Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins has received a
grant in excess of $600,000 from the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust to further the
development of Allegro’s new Integrin Peptide Therapy™. The research advances a new drug class for the
treatment of eye diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular edema and wet age-related macular
degeneration.
“Type 1 and type 2 diabetes are global health concerns, and diabetes retinopathy is a major complication of
both diseases that currently has limited therapeutic options” said Mr. Dana Ball, program director at The
Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust. “Improving outcomes is a goal of the Helmsley T1D
Program and this partnership offers the opportunity to address an unmet need and underscores our
commitment to funding innovative research that has the potential to improve the quality of life for individuals
with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.”
In addition to the more than 4 million Americans suffering from diabetic retinopathy, wet macular
degeneration affects more than 1.5 million Americans and that number is expected to double by 2020,
according to Vision 2020 – a collaboration of the World Health Organization and the International Agency
for the Prevention of Blindness. Allegro Ophthalmics’ collaborative research with The Wilmer Eye Institute
at Johns Hopkins advances a new type of treatment for these patients to prevent and reverse vision loss for
individuals with these diseases.
Allegro Ophthalmics’ Integrin Peptide Therapy™ differs from existing treatments for eye diseases that are
caused by abnormal blood vessels because it works upstream to shut off the production of abnormal blood
vessels at the source. It is able to do this successfully because it is a very small molecule that is capable of
binding the parts of the eye responsible for the production of these blood vessels. By attacking the cascade
upstream with a small molecule, Allegro’s compound is designed to offer new and potent treatment options
for vascular eye diseases, potentially as a stand-alone therapy as well as complementary to current treatments.
Initial studies conducted at The Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins showed that Allegro’s compound
significantly reduces neovascularization.
According to Vicken Karageozian, M.D., Chief Technical Officer and co-founder, Allegro Ophthalmics, “The
pre-clinical research is consistent with the data from our initial Phase 1 Study showing that the drug is safe
and effective in human patients.” Karageozian further stated, “It is this level of support from organizations
such as The Helmsley Trust and The Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins that will propel and accelerate
our drug development strategy in line with the advice and guidance of our scientific advisory board – all
toward offering new treatment options to physicians and patients with the end goal of more effective
treatment for vascular eye diseases that preserves vision.”
About The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust
The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust aspires to improve lives by supporting effective
nonprofits in health and medical research, social services, education, and conservation. The Trust, established
in 1999, is administered by four trustees selected by Leona Helmsley. As a continuation of Mr. and Mrs.
Helmsley’s generous giving throughout their lifetimes, the Trust supports a diverse range of organizations
and has committed more than $480 million in grants to charitable organizations since 2008.
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About Allegro Ophthalmics, LLC
With more than 100 years of combined experience in vision science and medicine, the leadership team at
Allegro Ophthalmics, LLC is establishing Integrin Peptide Therapy as the next-generation pharmaceutical
category for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular
edema, which together affect nearly six million Americans. Allegro Ophthalmics offers the potential to
prevent vision loss for millions of people, while also liberating others from legal blindness to a much
improved quality of life sustained by self-sufficient functional vision.
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CONTACT:
Allison Potter
Pascale Communications
412.228.1678
[email protected]