Dr. Fung, a Genentech veteran, brings extensive clinical expertise and leadership to the Perceive Bio team and will drive clinical programs across the company's extensive ophthalmology pipeline
Perceive Biotherapeutics, a biotech company pioneering novel technologies and therapeutics in ophthalmology, announced the appointment of Anne E. Fung, MD, as Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Fung joins a team of dedicated scientists and ophthalmic leaders where she will be responsible for advancing Perceive Bio's pipeline in ophthalmology and expanding its portfolio into adjacent areas of interest.
"It is an exciting time to be joining the Perceive Bio executive team, a group whose successful track records demonstrate their exceptional insight into the pragmatic translation of science through clinical development. I am invigorated to bring forward decades of groundbreaking research to clinical trials and patient care," said Dr. Fung.
Perceive Biotherapeutics is focused on the discovery and development of transformative gene therapies and other therapeutics for ocular diseases with high unmet need. By leveraging deep genetic understandings, Perceive Bio researchers have discovered key protective biological targets that uniquely position the Company to accelerate the development of best-in-class therapies for programs that represent over 50% of currently untreatable causes of blindness. Perceive Bio is advancing therapeutic programs in AMD, glaucoma, and additional undisclosed disease areas.
"Dr. Anne Fung is a unique force in clinical leadership," said K. Angela Macfarlane, CEO of Perceive Biotherapeutics. "She is dedicated to advancing science to help patients preserve their vision. As a practicing retinal specialist, Anne ran both investigator-sponsored and industry-sponsored multi-center trials prior to joining industry. We believe Perceive Bio's pipeline of ophthalmic drugs and technology platforms, complemented by Anne's leadership, positions us to transform care with protective therapeutics."
"We look forward to collaborating with Anne and the Perceive Bio team," said Jeffrey S. Heier, MD, Director, Retina Research, Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston, and member of the Perceive Bio Medical Advisory Board. "Her success in developing and launching novel, groundbreaking therapies in ophthalmology is well recognized. Genetically informed, sustained therapies are important and have the potential to have meaningful impact in our spectrum of patient care."
Dr. Fung joins Perceive Biotherapeutics following eight years of leadership at Genentech, a member of the Roche Group. During her tenure, she led the US Medical Affairs Ophthalmology team to advance clinical research in AMD, diabetic eye disease and other ocular conditions with an expansion from Lucentis to lampalizumab (GA), faricimab (DME/AMD) and the Port Delivery System (AMD/DME/DR). In 2019, she was selected to become the Global Development Lead for the Port Delivery System, where she led the team through key aspects of development and through Phase 3 trials of the first long-acting neovascular AMD therapy which received FDA approval in 2021 (SUSVIMO®). Over two decades, Anne has pursued a passion for research of age-related macular degeneration and ophthalmology in academic, private practice, and biotech industry settings with US and global collaborators. Her research spans RPE transplantation, cataract biology, real-time OCT imaging observations of the effects of anti-VEGF on neovascular AMD and clinical applications of Lucentis globally, resulting in multiple publications, presentations and book chapters that have helped shape the current practice of care for neovascular AMD globally.
Dr. Fung is active in medical retina clinical practice in San Francisco and serves as the Research Chair for the Ophthalmology resident research program at California Pacific Medical Center. A graduate of Wellesley College and Cornell University Medical College, Anne completed her Ophthalmology residency at Stanford University Medical Center and a fellowship in Medical Retina at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami.
"I have been passionate about retinal research and finding new solutions for over 20 years," said Dr. Fung. "I see the key pieces of science coming together at Perceive Bio…to bring even more hope and vision to patients around the world."
Source: Perceive Biotherapeutics
