Sling Therapeutics Appoints Raymond Douglas, M.D., Ph.D., as Chief Scientific Officer

- Dr. Raymond Douglas, renowned thyroid eye disease specialist, joins the management team and brings extensive clinical and development experience across the spectrum of TED therapies

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- Appointment supports the development of company's lead asset, linsitinib, through the ongoing Phase 2b/3 LIDS clinical trial and additional clinical and scientific initiatives

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Sept. 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Sling Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on late-stage development of linsitinib, an oral small molecule for the treatment of thyroid eye disease (TED), today announced Raymond Douglas, M.D., Ph.D., a world-leading clinician and thought leader in TED who has been integral to developing therapeutics for the disease, has been appointed as Chief Scientific Officer. Dr. Douglas will lead activities to further explore linsitinib's potential for expansion to additional indications, as well as engage the broader scientific and medical community around Sling's progress in TED.  

"Dr. Douglas brings decades of experience from his tenure as an oculoplastic and reconstructive surgeon and TED Treatment Specialist at Cedars-Sinai and previously at the University of Michigan. We are delighted to have Ray join our leadership team as we continue to enroll our Phase 2b/3 LIDS clinical trial," said Ryan Zeidan, Chief Executive Officer of Sling Therapeutics. "Dr. Douglas has an extensive track record in drug development for TED, as he led the development of teprotumumab, and has been the principal investigator of international clinical trials used to support its U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. In addition, Dr. Douglas pioneered the development of techniques used to improve the aesthetics of TED-induced facial and orbital changes. We are thrilled to have him join Sling Therapeutics to drive the scientific advancement and explore the additional potential of linsitinib and IGF-1R inhibition."  

Dr. Douglas has over 15 years of clinical and developmental experience in oculoplastic diseases. His breakthrough research surrounding the key pathways in TED contributed to the development of teprotumumab, the first and only FDA-approved treatment for TED. His accomplishments enabled his clinic to be the first in the world to begin treatment of patients with teprotumumab. Dr. Douglas heads his own practice in Beverly Hills, California and was also a professor at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, California, where he was the director of the orbital and TED programs. He received his M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Dr. Douglas completed his residency at the Scheie Eye Institute Penn Presbyterian and fellowship at the Jules Stein Eye Institute UCLA, and his Ph.D. in Immunology at the University of Pennsylvania.

"I am thrilled to be joining Sling Therapeutics as part of the leadership team to develop an accessible treatment option for TED," said Dr. Douglas. "TED is a debilitating disease where physical changes are pronounced and painful. Though aesthetic surgery is a path forward for some patients, there continues to be a market for those who desire a non-surgical option to improve their quality of life. I look forward to engaging with the TED scientific and medical community to bring awareness to Sling's work with linsitinib. I am excited to be advancing linsitinib through clinical development and its potential approval for TED, as well as continuing the development of linsitinib to address additional indications."

For more information about the Phase 2b/3 LIDS clinical trial, visit https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05276063 

About Thyroid Eye Disease (TED)

TED is a debilitating autoimmune disease that affects about 20,000 people in the U.S. per year and has a similar prevalence in Europe. Dysfunction in the IGF-1R signaling pathway leads to a prevalence of thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor autoantibodies (TSHR-Abs) that drive excess fibrous tissue growth behind the eyes. The inflammation can push the eyes forward or cause the eyes and eyelids to become red and swollen. As the disease progresses it can lead to pain, eye bulging, and double vision. TED predominantly affects women, and most frequently affects people with hyperthyroidism due to Graves' disease.

About Sling Therapeutics

Sling Therapeutics, Inc., is a biopharmaceutical company focused on late-stage development of an oral small molecule for the treatment of thyroid eye disease (TED). The company is advancing the evaluation of its lead product candidate, linsitinib, in a Phase 2b/3 clinical trial based on extensive preclinical and clinical data. Linsitinib offers the potential of a convenient oral small molecule that could significantly reduce the treatment burden for people living with TED. For more information visit https://slingtx.com/.  

Investor Contact
Jessica Vo
Gilmartin Group, LLC
[email protected] 

Media Contact
Adam Daley
Berry & Company Public Relations
212.253.8881
[email protected] 

SOURCE Sling Therapeutics