Lupus Research Alliance Appoints Albert Roy as President and Chief Executive Officer

NEW YORK, Aug. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Lupus Research Alliance (LRA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Albert Roy to President and Chief Executive Officer effective September 6, 2022. Mr. Roy currently serves as Executive Director of Lupus Therapeutics, the clinical trial affiliate of the Lupus Research Alliance. He will succeed Kenneth M. Farber who is continuing as President-Emeritus through December 31, 2022.

Albert Roy joined the Lupus Research Alliance in 2015 to form Lupus Therapeutics, a division focused on accelerating clinical research to improve diagnosis and treatment of lupus, a complex autoimmune disease which manifests differently from person to person and for which more personalized treatments are urgently needed.

"Under Al's strong leadership, Lupus Therapeutics has grown enormously in both size and stature, representing one of the most recognized organizations advancing lupus clinical research and breaking down barriers in clinical research participation," LRA Board Co-Chairman Ira Akselrad noted. "His success at building Lupus Therapeutics is testament to his clear ability to innovate, critically important to future of the Lupus Research Alliance and the lupus community overall."

As Executive Director of Lupus Therapeutics, Mr. Roy has expanded the organization into a clinical research powerhouse, supporting 20 clinical research efforts with 16 partners from major biopharmaceutical companies committed to lupus drug development. A cornerstone of his success has been the formation and expansion of the Lupus Clinical Investigators Network (LuCIN), a network of 57 prestigious academic institutions throughout North America that care for 25,000 people living with lupus.

Addressing health inequities in lupus research and improving clinical research awareness and engagement, particularly among people of color who are underrepresented in clinical research, has been a major focus of Mr. Roy who has worked to introduce several novel programs.

LRA Board Co-Chairman Richard DeScherer added, "Al was unanimously selected after an exhaustive search and discussions about the organization's needs with many individuals including trustees, senior staff, and members of LRA's Scientific Advisory Board. From a clinical research, business, and community-needs perspective, Al brings a unique complement of skills necessary to propel the Lupus Research Alliance forward."

Before joining Lupus Therapeutics, Mr. Roy was Vice President of Operations and Research Programs at CureSearch for Children's Cancer, a multi-million-dollar public charity whose mission is to support innovative children's cancer research. During his tenure there, he managed a clinical research portfolio exceeding $50 million per year and coordinated Children's Oncology Group through strategic partnerships with more than 200 academic medical centers. Mr. Roy holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Ithaca College.

"I am honored and privileged to serve as the next President & CEO of the Lupus Research Alliance (LRA), an organization at the forefront of many of today's biggest breakthroughs in lupus. As more discoveries move into clinical research, it is imperative that the Lupus Research Alliance dedicate greater resources to the education and engagement of the patient community on the key role they play in the research process," said Mr. Roy.

"With the rapid evolution of science and technology coupled with the passion of our lupus community, we are poised to achieve a new, even higher trajectory of acceleration in addressing unmet medical needs and one day, eradicating lupus," continued Mr. Roy.

Mr. Roy's predecessor Kenneth Farber has been a major driving force in the lupus arena for more than two decades, guiding the Lupus Research Alliance as it has supported the discovery of many compounds that led to new treatments now approved or currently in development for lupus. Under his stewardship, the Lupus Research Alliance was formed from the merger of three leading lupus organizations, bringing the full continuum of research from foundational through clinical under one umbrella and becoming the largest nongovernmental private funder of lupus research worldwide. Mr. Farber will continue to consult with the organization.

Albert Roy will continue to lead Lupus Therapeutics until a new executive director is appointed.

Lupus is a chronic, complex autoimmune disease that affects millions of people worldwide. More than 90 percent of people with lupus are women; lupus most often strikes during the childbearing years of 15-45. African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, and Native Americans are two to three times at greater risk than Caucasians. In lupus, the immune system, which is designed to protect against infection, creates antibodies that can attack any part of the body including the kidneys, brain, heart, lungs, blood, skin, and joints.

The Lupus Research Alliance is the largest non-governmental, non-profit funder of lupus research worldwide. The organization aims to transform treatment by funding the most innovative lupus research, fostering diverse scientific talent, and driving discovery toward better diagnostics, improved treatments and ultimately, a cure for lupus. Because the Lupus Research Alliance's Board of Directors fund all administrative and fundraising costs, 100% of all donations goes to support lupus research programs. Visit lupusresearch.org for more information.

Lupus Therapeutics, an affiliate of the Lupus Research Alliance, aims to accelerate drug discovery and diagnostic innovation for all patients living with lupus. Lupus Therapeutics collaborates with biotechnology and pharmaceutical partners through its unprecedented Lupus Clinical Investigators Network (LuCIN) to drive rapid and meaningful progress in the treatment of lupus patients. The organization aims to place the patient voice and community stakeholders at the center of the clinical research process with the most innovative and renowned experts throughout North America. Visit lupustherapeutics.org for more information.

SOURCE Lupus Research Alliance