Oculis CEO Riad Sherif, who once worked for Novartis and Alcon, reveals which company he’d invest in following the spin-off of the latter from the former – but mostly about the Switzerland-based start-up’s promising new pipeline for DME, post-surgery inflammation, and dry eye.

With more than $100 million raised in venture capital and three late-stage clinical programs, Oyster Point Pharma is getting a lot done in a short amount of time. In this podcast, CEO and president Jeffrey Nau reveals how the company is working so quickly and ponders what the next major milestone might be. 

After entering the ophthalmology industry “by accident,” Bernhard Günther founded Novaliq in 2004 to pursue therapeutic applications for CyclASol, a novel solution used in drug delivery. While Novaliq pursued other therapeutic applications initially, fate once again brought Günther back into ophthalmology. Today, the company is positioned to deliver two new treatments for dry eye disease. In this podcast we’ll cover the company’s origins, its unusual investor, and its move to the US.

We dip into the gene therapy pool one more time, talking with Jay Duker, MD about Luxturna’s impact on ophthalmology. We also discuss how the acquisitions of Spark and Nightstar are benefiting earlier-stage gene therapy start-ups, including his own Hemera Biosciences.

Together, Roche and Biogen paid over $5.5 billion for gene therapy companies Spark and Nightstar. What does this mean for the emerging technology? Spark, of course, received FDA approval for Luxturna as a treatment for inherited retinal disease. But the drug isn’t Roche’s primary focus. Meanwhile, Nightstar’s clinical-stage products could give Biogen a second shot at a gene therapy portfolio after the company severed ties with AGTC in December. Could Biogen make a move to bulk up its ophthalmology offerings?  

Industry leaders say optometry presents an enormous opportunity for eye care companies.

Participants:

• Joseph Boorady, OD, FAAO, VP, Ocular Surface - Johnson & Johnson Vision
• Robert Dempsey, Head of Global Ophthalmics Franchise - Takeda
• Dave Gibson, Associate VP, Consumer Eye Care & Customer Development - Allergan
• Angelo Rago, Global Head, Ophthalmic Diagnostics - Carl Zeiss Meditec
• Calvin Roberts, MD, SVP, Chief Medical Officer - Bausch + Lomb 

Moderated By:
Emmett T. Cunningham Jr., MD, PhD, MPH, Sr. Managing Director - Blackstone Life Sciences

We visit again with James Thimons, OD, FAA, co-chair of OIS@SECO, the newest member of the OIS family. OIS@SECO convened last week in New Orleans, drawing more than 200 optometrists, entrepreneurs, and industry members. In this interview, Dr. Thimons, clinical director of Ophthalmic Consultants of Connecticut, walks us through the day. We also ask the dry eye expert his take on the recent fund-raising success of Oyster Pharmaceuticals, developer of a nasal spray that might help relieve the pain of that persistent condition.

Former Aerie CMO Brian Levy, OD, was settling down for a quieter life in Florida when he came upon OcuNexus, a biopharmaceutical company utilizing a novel mechanism of action called “Gap Junction Channel Modulation” to develop treatments for the front and back of the eye. Levy saw the opportunity to create a biopharma capable of devising new therapies inside and outside of ophthalmology.

Twenty five years ago, Michael Freeman collaborated with his father and brothers to create the first video technology that could transmit via cellular technology. As important an achievement as that might be, Freeman is developing an augmented reality device that could have an even greater impact on people who have lost their vision to Macular Degeneration. Once again, Freeman and his brothers have their father’s leadership to thank.

Paul Karpecki thought his odds were pretty good at the start of his career, but an early setback put him on a path that’s made him one of the most successful optometrists in the country. In this interview, Karpecki recounts his path to optometry and looks forward to how technology will change how he and other optometrists care for their patients. He also explains why he agreed to serve as a co-chair of the February 21 OIS@SECO.