CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alkeus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that Seemi Khan, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A., has joined the Company as Chief Medical Officer.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Khan to the Alkeus executive team as we pursue our mission to innovate transformative therapies for degenerative eye diseases,” said Leonide Saad, Ph.D., President and CEO at Alkeus. “An accomplished executive, Dr. Khan has a track record in bringing rare disease treatments to patients in need across multiple therapeutic areas.”

Prior to joining Alkeus, Dr. Khan served as Chief Medical Officer at Reata Pharmaceuticals through its acquisition by Biogen, where she oversaw all clinical programs from early stage to commercialization. Dr. Khan was instrumental in the approval and launch of the first treatment for Friedreich’s ataxia. Dr. Khan’s experience also includes senior leadership roles at Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America, Quark Pharmaceuticals, Abbott and AbbVie. An internist and nephrologist with expertise in rare disease, immunology and rheumatology, she has served as an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine. She further has received an M.P.H. from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and an M.B.A. from Brandeis University.

"I am excited to join Alkeus, particularly at a time when gildeuretinol has shown promising advancement toward the treatment of Stargardt disease,” Dr. Khan said. “I’m eager to continue building the team to bring significant impact on the lives of individuals confronted with progressive vision loss. My commitment to medical innovation and patient care aligns seamlessly with Alkeus' mission, and I look forward to driving forward this life-changing treatment."

About Alkeus Pharmaceuticals

Alkeus Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company with headquarters in Cambridge, Mass. Co-founded by Leonide Saad, Ph.D. and Ilyas Washington, Ph.D., Alkeus is focused on developing therapies for serious diseases of the eye with high unmet need. Alkeus’ lead candidate, gildeuretinol (ALK-001), is currently being evaluated in clinical trials for the treatment of Stargardt disease and for geographic atrophy (GA) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

About Gildeuretinol (ALK-001)

Gildeuretinol acetate (ALK-001) is a novel molecule created as a specialized form of deuterated vitamin A designed to reduce the dimerization of vitamin A without disrupting vision. In preclinical studies, gildeuretinol decreased vitamin A dimerization to the normal rate seen in unaffected individuals and prevented retinal degeneration and blindness in animals with Stargardt disease. In addition to the TEASE trials, a Phase 3 study of gildeuretinol in 200 patients with geographic atrophy (GA) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has recently been completed and is expected to read out topline data in 2024. Gildeuretinol has received breakthrough therapy designation and orphan drug designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

For further information, please contact:

David Setboun, Chief Operating Officer
Email: media01@alkeuspharma.com
Website: www.alkeuspharma.com