Apellis Appoints Leading Expert Dr. Philip Ferrone as Chief Medical Retina Advisor

WALTHAM, Mass., March 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: APLS) today announced that leading retina specialist Philip Ferrone, M.D., will join the company as Chief Medical Retina Advisor, effective March 18.

“Phil is globally renowned for his leadership in retina, including as a past president of the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS), so we are delighted to welcome him to the Apellis team,” said Caroline Baumal, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, Apellis. “Phil has extensive expertise in retina research and patient care, which will be invaluable as we continue to bring SYFOVRE to patients with GA and advance our retina pipeline.”

“It is an honor to join Apellis in its mission to deliver life-changing treatments for patients living with serious diseases,” said Dr. Ferrone. “I was an early adopter of SYFOVRE and have realized first-hand how impactful this treatment is for GA patients. I look forward to working closely with Caroline and this tremendously talented team to advance care for patients with this devastating disease.”

Dr. Ferrone will continue to serve as the director of clinical research at Vitreoretinal Consultants in New York. He is a past president of the ASRS and has been on its board of directors for 18 years. He is also a past president of The Foundation of the ASRS, which aims to raise patient awareness and education about retina health.

Dr. Ferrone has served as principal investigator in over 60 clinical trials investigating new treatments for retinal diseases, authored over 75 peer-reviewed medical manuscripts, six book chapters, and has given over 160 scientific presentations at national and international ophthalmology medical meetings. Dr. Ferrone earned his undergraduate degree from Union College and his medical degree from Harvard Medical School. He completed a fellowship in vitreoretinal disease and surgery at Associated Retinal Consultants in Royal Oak, MI and was Chief Resident and on faculty at the Duke University Eye Center.

About SYFOVRE (pegcetacoplan injection)
SYFOVRE (pegcetacoplan injection) is the first-ever approved therapy for geographic atrophy (GA). By targeting C3, SYFOVRE is designed to provide comprehensive control of the complement cascade, part of the body’s immune system. SYFOVRE is approved in the United States for the treatment of GA secondary to age-related macular degeneration.