Anthony Adamis, MD

Tony Adamis is SVP, Development Innovation at Genentech, a member of the Roche Group. Tony is best known for his co-discovery of the role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in ocular disease, including diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Conducted at Harvard in the 1990’s, this research led to his sharing the António Champaulimaud Vision Award in 2014. In 2000, Tony co-founded Eyetech Pharmaceuticals, which developed and obtained FDA approval for the first anti-VEGF drug in ophthalmology (pegaptanib for AMD; 2004). At Genentech (2009 – present), Tony led the teams that developed the first FDA approved drugs for diabetic macular edema, branch and central retinal vein occlusion, diabetic retinopathy and myopic choroidal neovascularization (ranibizumab, anti-VEGF), as well as temporal arteritis (tolicizumab, anti-IL6R). Since the introduction of anti-VEGF drugs, the rates of blindness from wet AMD have dropped by half across the world. Tony received his MD with Honors from the University of Chicago. He completed his ophthalmology residency at the University of Michigan and his fellowship at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. His research training in vascular biology was with Dr. Judah Folkman at the Boston Children’s Hospital.