Patrick Girondi | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Patrick Michael Finley |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, Entrepreneur |
| Known for | Singing, Songwriting, Founder and CEO San Rocco Therapeutics |
Patrick Girondi is an Italian-American singer, composer and pharmaceutical executive/patient advocate. [1] [2] He is the founder and CEO of San Rocco Therapeutics. [3]
Patrick Girondi was born and named Patrick Michael Finley in Chicago, Illinois. He later took his mothers’ maiden name, "Girondi" in 1985. He was a high school dropout . [1]
Patrick Girondi has been a singer-songwriter, performing since the age of six. In 1998, Girondi and Ken Barnard of Street Factory Music began honing his singing and songwriting skills. [4] His first commercial single, "Colpo Di Cuore" was released on Street Factory Records in 2002. It also appeared on his debut CD, Orphan’s Soul. [5]
Girondi's sophomore release, Orphan’s Journey, appeared in the musical score of the Italian film, Focaccia Blues. [6] Orphan’s Journey earned him the "International Indie Artist of The Year Award" in 2007, as voted by the Indie Music Writers Association. [7] Subsequent albums include: Orphan's Hope(2010), Orphan’s Cure (2015), Orphan’s Return (2020), and Orphan’s Final Chapter (2023). The CDs have been distributed in 20 countries. [5] In 2008, his song “It’s Your Time” won an award at the Giffoni Film Festival in Italy. [4]
Girondi has performed throughout the US and Italy, from intimate venues, to large summer festivals. He has performed at The Harris Theater in Chicago and Navy Pier where musicians like Tony Bennett, and Boz Scaggs have also performed. [8] During his ’08’ US Tour, he performed with the alto saxophonist, Ronnie Graham and shared the stage with Ramsey Lewis, Gerey Johnson and Mike Logan, along with The Ultimate Concept Band and The Mad Hatter. [9]
Girondi performed at The Narni Black Festival at the Teatro Communale and RossoBastardo Live in Italy, where he was featured with artists ranging from Earth, Wind & Fire to Gloria Gaynor, Dionne Warwick and Kool & the Gang. [10] He has appeared on television shows in Chicago, New York City and Italy. His CDs feature well known artists like Antonella Pepe, Gianni Trevisani, Lorenzo Poli and Raffaele Chiatto who have appeared on CDs by Eros Ramazzotti, Claudio Baglioni, and Umberto Tozzi. [11] [12] He recently performed in Manhattan at Pianos (2023) benefiting the Cooley’s Anemia International, INC. and continues to exhibit internationally. [13]
| Year | Work |
|---|---|
| 2004 | Orphan’s Soul |
| 2008 | Orphan’s Journey |
| 2010 | Orphan’s Hope |
| 2015 | Orphan’s Cure |
| 2020 | Orphan’s Return |
| 2023 | Orphan’s Final Chapter |
Girondi published his first book under the name Patrick Finley in 1986. In May 2022, Skyhorse Publishing and distributors Simon and Schuster came out with Girondi’s book Flight of the Rondone: High School Dropout VS Big Pharma: The Fight to Save My Son’s Life. [14] [15] This was a Wall Street Journal #1 Bestseller in July 2022. [16] Girondi’s second book to be published by Skyhorse (February 2023) is titled New City: A Story About Race Baiting and Hope on the South Side of Chicago. [17]
Patrick Girondi was a well-known Chicago trader and a trader in the electronic markets in Europe. [18] In 1993 he founded Errant Gene Therapeutics, which became San Rocco Therapeutics in January 2022. [19] [20] From 1995-2004 Girondi was a partner of the late John T. Walton. [1]
Girondi has won accolades for his work in the Orphan Disease field and in particular for his work for the Gene therapy cure for Sickle Cell Anemia and Thalassemia. [2] [21] He has been a guest on the "Oprah Show" twice, and has been on the front page business section of the New York Times in October 2015. [1]
Girondi is legally separated from his wife and mother of their three children, Rocco, Francesco and Giancarlo since October 2003.
Gene therapy is a medical field which focuses on the genetic modification of cells to produce a therapeutic effect or the treatment of disease by repairing or reconstructing defective genetic material. The first attempt at modifying human DNA was performed in 1980, by Martin Cline, but the first successful nuclear gene transfer in humans, approved by the National Institutes of Health, was performed in May 1989. The first therapeutic use of gene transfer as well as the first direct insertion of human DNA into the nuclear genome was performed by French Anderson in a trial starting in September 1990. It is thought to be able to cure many genetic disorders or treat them over time.
Thalassemias are inherited blood disorders characterized by decreased hemoglobin production. Symptoms depend on the type and can vary from none to severe. Often there is mild to severe anemia. Anemia can result in feeling tired and pale skin. There may also be bone problems, an enlarged spleen, yellowish skin, and dark urine. Slow growth may occur in children.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals is an American biopharmaceutical company based in Boston, Massachusetts. It was one of the first biotech firms to use an explicit strategy of rational drug design rather than combinatorial chemistry. It maintains headquarters in South Boston, Massachusetts, and three research facilities, in San Diego, California, and Milton Park, Oxfordshire, England.
Hepcidin is a protein that in humans is encoded by the HAMP gene. Hepcidin is a key regulator of the entry of iron into the circulation in mammals.
Alpha-thalassemia is a form of thalassemia involving the genes HBA1 and HBA2. Thalassemias are a group of inherited blood conditions which result in the impaired production of hemoglobin, the molecule that carries oxygen in the blood. Normal hemoglobin consists of two alpha chains and two beta chains; in alpha-thalassemia, there is a quantitative decrease in the amount of alpha chains, resulting in fewer normal hemoglobin molecules. Furthermore, alpha-thalassemia leads to the production of unstable beta globin molecules which cause increased red blood cell destruction. The degree of impairment is based on which clinical phenotype is present.
Beta thalassemias are a group of inherited blood disorders. They are forms of thalassemia caused by reduced or absent synthesis of the beta chains of hemoglobin that result in variable outcomes ranging from severe anemia to clinically asymptomatic individuals. Global annual incidence is estimated at one in 100,000. Beta thalassemias occur due to malfunctions in the hemoglobin subunit beta or HBB. The severity of the disease depends on the nature of the mutation.
Congenital dyserythropoietic anemia (CDA) is a rare blood disorder, similar to the thalassemias. CDA is one of many types of anemia, characterized by ineffective erythropoiesis, and resulting from a decrease in the number of red blood cells (RBCs) in the body and a less than normal quantity of hemoglobin in the blood. CDA may be transmitted by both parents autosomal recessively or dominantly.
Cooley’s Anemia Foundation (CAF) is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that funds medical research and education to benefit individuals living with the genetic blood disorder thalassemia. The major form of this disorder is also known as Cooley's anemia.
Betibeglogene autotemcel, sold under the brand name Zynteglo, is a medication for the treatment for beta thalassemia. It was developed by Bluebird Bio and was given breakthrough therapy designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in February 2015.
Hemoglobin H (Hb H)Disease, also called alpha-thalassemia intermedia, is a disease affecting hemoglobin, the oxygen carrying molecule within red blood cells. It is a form of Alpha-thalassemia which most commonly occurs due to deletion of 3 out of 4 of the α-globin genes.
Luspatercept, sold under the brand name Reblozyl, is a medication used for the treatment of anemia in beta thalassemia and myelodysplastic syndromes.
Umbralisib, sold under the brand name Ukoniq, is an anti-cancer medication for the treatment of marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) and follicular lymphoma (FL). It is taken by mouth.
Loncastuximab tesirine, sold under the brand name Zynlonta, is a monoclonal antibody conjugate medication used to treat large B-cell lymphoma and high-grade B-cell lymphoma. It is an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) composed of a humanized antibody targeting the protein CD19.
Sangamo Therapeutics, Inc. is an American biotechnology company based in Brisbane, California. It applies cell and gene therapy to combat haemophilia and other genetic diseases.
Sutimlimab, sold under the brand name Enjaymo, is a monoclonal antibody that is used to treat adults with cold agglutinin disease (CAD). It is given by intravenous infusion. Sutimlimab prevents complement-enhanced activation of autoimmune human B cells in vitro.
bluebird bio, Inc., based in Somerville, Massachusetts, is a biotechnology company that develops gene therapies for severe genetic disorders.
Transfusion-dependent anemia is a form of anemia characterized by the need for continuous blood transfusion. It is a condition that results from various diseases, and is associated with decreased survival rates. Regular transfusion is required to reduce the symptoms of anemia by increasing functional red blood cells and hemoglobin count. Symptoms may vary based on the severity of the condition and the most common symptom is fatigue. Various diseases can lead to transfusion-dependent anemia, most notably myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and thalassemia. Due to the number of diseases that can cause transfusion-dependent anemia, diagnosing it is more complicated. Transfusion dependence occurs when an average of more than 2 units of blood transfused every 28 days is required over a period of at least 3 months. Myelodysplastic syndromes is often only diagnosed when patients become anemic, and transfusion-dependent thalassemia is diagnosed based on gene mutations. Screening for heterozygosity in the thalassemia gene is an option for early detection.
CRISPR Therapeutics is a leading gene editing company focused on developing transformative gene-based medicines for serious diseases using its proprietary CRISPR/Cas9 platform. CRISPR/Cas9 is a revolutionary gene editing technology that allows for precise, directed changes to genomic DNA. CRISPR Therapeutics has established a portfolio of therapeutic programs across a broad range of disease areas including hemoglobinopathies, oncology, regenerative medicine and rare diseases. To accelerate and expand its efforts, CRISPR Therapeutics has established strategic partnerships with leading companies including Bayer, Vertex Pharmaceuticals and ViaCyte, Inc. CRISPR Therapeutics AG is headquartered in Zug, Switzerland, with its wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary, CRISPR Therapeutics, Inc., and R&D operations based in Boston, Massachusetts and San Francisco, California, and business offices in London, United Kingdom. For more information, please visit www.crisprtx.com.
Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) is a designation given by the Food and Drug Administration to drug candidates intended to treat serious or life-threatening conditions under the 21st Century Cures Act. A RMAT designation allows for accelerated approval based surrogate or intermediate endpoints.
Megan Euker is an Italian and American artist and designer. She is a two-time Fulbright grant recipient to Italy. She is additionally the book agent for Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author Patrick Girondi and the music agent for Patrick Girondi & the Orphan's Dream.