Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. Brings World-Renowned Thought Leaders Together to Discuss The New Face of Cancer at the Intersection of the New York City Life Science and Technology Communities

PASADENA, Calif., Oct. 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- This week Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (NYSE: ARE), the largest and leading office REIT uniquely focused on collaborative science and technology campuses in urban innovation clusters, hosted Converge at Alexandria at the Alexandria Center^® for Life Science – New York City. Converge at Alexandria is a quarterly thought leadership series that brings together stakeholders from across the disease continuum to engage in provocative discussions around key topics at the intersection of life science, healthcare and technology. By convening academic and industry experts, community leaders, physicians, patients, philanthropists and other advocates, Converge at Alexandria aims to bring these key issues to the forefront to catalyze new collaborations and partnerships. Surrounded by world-renowned academic and medical institutions, leading scientific talent, top-tier investment capital and an emerging commercial life science industry, New York City provides a unique backdrop for the Converge community to explore the intersection of life science, healthcare and technological innovation.

Cancer is heterogeneous and touches patients and families everywhere. Today, researchers know that there are more than 200 unique cancer types and are currently testing over 800 new potential treatments in clinical trials. While cancer remains a leading cause of death around the world, there is unprecedented momentum, promise and hope in cancer research, care and treatment. "The New Face of Cancer" panel brought together thought leaders to shed light on new facets of cancer research, immuno-oncology, clinical care and the patient voice. Immuno-oncology harnesses the body's immune system to fight and attack cancer cells. With innovative breakthroughs focused around manipulating the immune system's ability to recognize cancer cells, physicians and researchers are now exploring targeted new treatments and cures.

Moderated by José Baselga, M.D., Ph.D., physician-in-chief and chief medical officer, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Monday's Converge discussion centered on immunotherapy as a critical new research platform toward realizing the promise of precision medicine, and bringing more targeted therapies to each individual patient based on the characteristics of his or her disease. Other panelists included Jedd Wolchok, M.D., Ph.D., chief, Melanoma and Immunotherapeutics Service and Lloyd J. Old Chair for Clinical Investigations at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Service; Sean Parker, tech entrepreneur, philanthropist and chairman of the Parker Foundation; and Suleika Jaouad, Emmy Award-winning New York Times writer, women's health advocate and cancer survivor. This diverse group provided a well-rounded discussion on the new face of cancer from research, clinical, philanthropy, advocacy and patient perspectives. 

"We are honored to bring Converge at Alexandria to the New York City community, which provided the unique opportunity to engage with visionaries such as Sean Parker and Drs. Baselga and Wolchok, and bring in the voice of the patient through Suleika Jaouad, on important issues and challenges in the field of cancer research and cancer care, and ways to address them in an impactful way," said Joel Marcus, chairman, chief executive officer and founder of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. "The field of cancer immunotherapy is revolutionizing our approach to the treatment of a disease that affects millions of patients and families around the world, with the potential to change the face of cancer treatment forever. We look forward to working together and supporting the mission-critical work of these leading experts to bring treatments and cures to cancer patients everywhere."

"The field of cancer is on fire," said Dr. Baselga. "There has been a total revolution in our understanding of genomics and immunology, which has been accompanied by a new era of immuno-oncology and precision medicine. With this understanding comes clear responsibility to advance the field with the requisite speed and determination to deliver more effective treatments tailored to each individual patient."

As the chairman of the Parker Foundation, tech entrepreneur and active philanthropist, Mr. Parker has brought worldwide attention to cancer research, global public health and civic engagement. At Converge at Alexandria, Mr. Parker highlighted his efforts to engage the technology world and beyond in cancer research and advocacy. "The philanthropic community can help support early stage research, which is critical for the discovery of innovative, highly durable and potentially curative treatments with low side effects," said Mr. Parker. "Immunotherapy should be viewed as a platform we can probe to tailor specific treatments to patients. Though we have only begun to scratch the surface in our understanding of the computational complexity of the immune system, imagine a world in which there are platform-based clinical trials and FDA approvals for various sets of immunotherapy targets — this system would elevate the potential of precision medicine." Mr. Parker's unique vantage point, informed by his deep experience in the technology sector, demonstrates the power of applying new perspectives toward disrupting cancer research and discovering new cures.

About Converge at Alexandria
Founded in 2015, Converge at Alexandria is a series of quarterly panel discussions at the Alexandria Center for Life Science – New York City, exploring some of the most significant challenges presently facing human health. Featuring a panel of experts representing key stakeholders from the R&D continuum, including researchers, clinicians, patients, biotech, pharma, funders, non-profits, and philanthropists, Converge at Alexandria engages New York City's broad and diverse life science community in discussions around critical disease areas, including cancer, autism, mental health, and infectious diseases. These timely panel discussions bring together a uniquely diverse group of scientific leaders from the New York City community to foster ongoing connectivity and collaboration among the City's premier talent.

About Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.
Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (NYSE:ARE) is the largest and leading office REIT uniquely focused on collaborative science and technology campuses in urban innovation clusters, with a total market capitalization of $10.7 billion as of June 30, 2015, and an asset base of 31.1 million square feet, including 18.8 million RSF of operating properties and development projects under construction, as well as an additional 12.3 million square feet of near-term and future ground-up development projects. Alexandria pioneered this niche in 1994 and has since established a dominant market presence in AAA locations, including Greater Boston, San Francisco, New York City, San Diego, Seattle, Maryland, and Research Triangle Park. Alexandria is known for its high-quality and diverse client tenant base, with approximately 53% of total annualized base rent as of June 30, 2015, generated from investment-grade client tenants — a REIT industry-leading percentage. Alexandria has a longstanding and proven track record of developing Class A assets clustered in urban science and technology campuses that provide its innovative client tenants with highly dynamic and collaborative environments that enhance their ability to successfully recruit and retain world-class talent and inspire productivity, efficiency, creativity, and success. For additional information on Alexandria, please visit www.are.com.

SOURCE Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.

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