Valerie Smith Joins GrayBug As VP, Global Clinical Development Operations

REDWOOD CITY, CA--(Marketwired - May 08, 2017) - Graybug Vision, Inc., a venture-stage pharmaceutical company committed to developing potentially transformative therapies for ocular diseases including wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and glaucoma, today announced that Valerie Smith has been appointed Vice President, Global Clinical Development Operations, where she will be responsible for leading the operational execution of the global clinical development programs in retinal disease and glaucoma.

Valerie brings more than 20 years of drug development experience in Clinical Operations and Project Management and has held leadership roles at Amgen, Genentech, Onyx, Shire, SARcode Bioscience, BioMarin, Solvay and VaxGen. In her prior roles at Genentech, SARcode and Shire, she was integral to the successful clinical operations of the major proof-of-concept and pivotal studies that led to the submission and approval of two major breakthrough ophthalmic drugs: Lucentis® for wet age-related macular degeneration and Xiidra® for treatment of signs and symptoms of dry eye disease.

Graybug Vision’s Chief Medical Officer Charles Semba, MD, commented, “We are pleased to welcome Valerie to our senior management team. Her prior achievements in ophthalmology and extensive operational leadership skills will provide an immediate impact to the capabilities of Graybug Vision in the planning and implementation of our global clinical trials in wet AMD and other studies of vision-threatening diseases.”

Valerie began her career at Solvay Pharmaceuticals and subsequently at Quintiles, Inc., and has been involved in research and development on investigational products in endocrinology, gastroenterology, psychiatry, neurology, pain, vaccines, orphan diseases, hematology, oncology and cardiology. She received a BS degree in Psychology from Georgia Southern University and an MBA degree from Kennesaw State University.

About Graybug Vision

Graybug Vision is developing novel products for the treatment of people with ocular diseases. The company’s proprietary injectable products are designed to enable less frequent administration and to reduce the burden of treatment for patients with ocular diseases. The company’s lead product, GB-102, has the potential for twice per year injections to treat patients with neovascular (wet) AMD. Graybug Vision has developed a library of compounds to treat glaucoma, a leading cause of progressive, irreversible vision loss worldwide, by lowering intraocular pressure alone or in combination with neuroprotection when injected twice per year into the subconjunctiva. For more information, please visit www.graybug.com.