Angiogenesis pioneer dies

Judah Folkman, MD, the pioneer of angiogenesis research, died on January 15th 2008.

Dr Folkman was the 2006 recipient of the Helen Keller Prize for Vision Research. His 1971 hypothesis, that solid tumours are angiogenesis-dependent, led researchers to the first angiogenic inhibitor for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), laying the groundwork for drugs such as Lucentis and Macugen.

Thanks to Dr Folkman, ten new cancer drugs are on the market and people who might otherwise be blind have been given a lifeline.