Ois Podcast

In the latest episode of the OIS Podcast, host Dr. Robert Rothman engages in a captivating dialogue with Dr. Prasad Sunkara, CEO of Eyegenex.Key points discussed in the episode:Prasad's multifaceted background spanning agricultural sciences to pharmaceuticals.Eyegenex's pioneering work in gene and peptide therapies for ophthalmic conditions.The personal journey and insights driving Prasad's commitment to advancing ophthalmology.For a deep dive into this thought-provoking conversation, tune in to the OIS Podcast and explore the forefront of ophthalmic innovation.

 This panel discussion on startup commercial strategy explores key elements and insights from industry leaders, Paul Bresge, Aziz Mottiwala, Todd Pinkney, Cari Stone and Adam Szaronos, offering a comprehensive view of the journey from regulatory approval to commercialization. Beth Marsh, Lead of Sales and Marketing at Apellis, sets the stage by emphasizing the importance of early consideration of commercial strategy. Key topics covered in the discussion include:Early Commercial StrategyElements of Robust StrategyRaising Institutional FundingEvolution of StrategiesFuture AnticipationDon't miss out – listen now for a comprehensive view of navigating the complexities of startup success!

OIS Podcast host Carey Powers speaks with Dr. Adrienne Graves and Dr. Barbara Wirostko on 'Maximizing the Value of Your Board of Director' live from OIS XIII.Dr. Graves and Dr. Wirostko share valuable insights on:* Building effective boards* Significance of diversity* CEO and board member communications* Navigating decision-making* Board dynamics* Strategic collaboration This episode is a must-listen for CEOs and founders navigating the intricacies of leadership and strategic decision-making. Tune in now.

In this episode of the OIS Podcast, host Dr. Firas Rahhal, along with expert panelists, Dr. Robert Bhisitkul, Dr. Alan Franklin and Dr. Paul Karpecki at OIS XIII, takes listeners on a deep dive into the transformative landscape of oral therapies in retina treatment, challenging the conventional approach dominated by eye injections. Tune in as they explore the groundbreaking realm of oral treatments and shed light on their novelty in retinal care.The discussions are comprehensive, covering key aspects such as:•  Novelty in Retina Treatment•  Three-Step Improvement and Long-Term Vision Protection•  Optimism for Prevention and Early Intervention•  Clinical Trial Parameters and Market Potential•  Diverse Mechanisms in FocusDon't miss out on this enlightening episode that explores the dynamic landscape of oral therapies, offering a fresh perspective on their potential to revolutionize the field of ophthalmology. Stay informed and engaged with OIS XIII discussions, as experts discuss the exciting possibilities

ViaLase, a clinical stage medical technology company located in Aliso Viejo, CA is focused on disrupting the conventional glaucoma treatment paradigm with the introduction of a truly noninvasive image-guided femtosecond laser treatment that enhances glaucoma patient care.With a leadership team that has vast experience developing, designing, manufacturing, and commercializing the first femtosecond lasers for ophthalmic surgery for refractive and cataract patients, ViaLase is now bringing that expertise and innovation to glaucoma patients.In this episode, Chief Commercialization Officer, Shawn O’Neil chats with OIS host Dr. Rob Rothman and discusses his successful product launches and instrumental contributions to ViaLase's commercialization strategy, their unique reimbursement strategy, the treatment's durability over time, enhancing its long-term impact, and much more.Tune in and see how ViaLase plans to bring this revolutionary treatment to glaucoma patients across the globe.ResourcesViaLase: https

Opthea, an Australian based biopharmaceutical company is dedicated to transforming retinal disease treatments and elevating patients' vision and quality of life. Join Firas Rahal, MD, in a captivating episode as he engages with Opthea's Founder and Chief Innovation Officer, Megan Baldwin, PhD.Explore the compelling journey from oncology to ophthalmology, unraveling strategic decisions, navigating competitive landscapes, and achieving triumphs in clinical trials. Dr. Baldwin unfolds her remarkable career trajectory, from a PhD at the University of Melbourne to pivotal roles at Genentech and the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research.Tune in for exclusive insights, including:Opthea's strategic approach to revolutionizing eye careClinical Trials: A deep dive into their success and impactComparison with Other Drugs: Differentiating factors and unique contributionsFuture Directions: Exploring new horizons and clinical opportunitiesCommercialization Timeline: Anticipated milestones and FDA approval str

Harrow isn’t a household name (yet), but eye care professionals have trusted its products for over a decade.The Nashville-based company produces Dexycu, an intraocular steroid; Iopidine for intraocular pressure control; and most recently, five Novartis products that Harrow acquired in December 2022.Rob Rothman, MD, caught up with Harrow founder and CEO Mark Baum to find out how he grew the company from worse than nothing—he acquired, restructured, and reorganized a company in bankruptcy in 2011—to a publicly traded organization with an enterprise value of $750 million.Baum describes Harrow as a “consortium of entrepreneurs.” That consortium includes:Eton Pharmaceuticals, developing products to treat rare diseaseSurface Ophthalmics, developing preservative-free products to treat dry eye disease and post-operative painMelt Pharmaceuticals, which produces MKO Melt, an FDA-approved analgesicHarrow built its business off compounded medications. By meeting needs of physicians in that way, it grew from zero to over

Endogena Therapeutics has developed a novel approach to regenerative medicine that’s not only scientifically compelling, but practical.Endogena’s technology unlocks the body’s own stem cells for controlled tissue repair by small molecules. Its products use a dosing schedule that could move easily into the system already in place for intravitreal injections.CEO Matthias Steger, PhD, MBA, sat down with retina specialist Firas Rahhal, MD, to discuss the Endogena approach in depth. They also discuss the compelling results seen so far in both animal models and in patients.The company’s lead candidate is being developed to treat retinitis pigmentosa. The product has received Orphan Drug and Fast Track Designation from the FDA and is moving through Phase IIa clinical trials. Dr. Steger says the company expects to have data to share in early 2024. It’s also submitting an investigational new drug (IND) application for an age-related macular degeneration treatment later this month.Listen to the podcast today to discove

“You can see and feel a buzz within the company right now,” said Andrew Stewart, President, Global Pharmaceuticals and International Consumer, at Bausch + Lomb.Bausch + Lomb’s current momentum stems not only from new leadership, but also from recent collaborations, partnerships, and acquisitions.Stewart and Yehia Hashad, MD, Executive Vice President of Research & Development and Chief Medical Officer, join host Paul Karpecki, OD, to discuss these activities. Miebo, the first-in-class dry eye asset for the treatment of evaporative dry eye, tops the list.Looking ahead, Stewart and Dr. Hashad said the company is lasering its focus to tackle more unmet medical needs in eye care. The company intends to build on its legacy of innovation in drug delivery, in MOAs, and in developing new molecular entities.What’s next for the most recognized name in eye care?Topics discussed include:Why Stewart shifted into commercial from R&D, and why Dr. Hashad moved from clinical practice to R&D.How Bausch + Lomb leader

OIS Podcast host Carey Powers caught up with four ophthalmology execs and one principal investigator to talk about some of the most exciting developments in retina R&D.Her guests include:Houman David Hemmati, MD, PhD, Cofounder and Chief Medical Officer of Optigo Biotherapeutics   Michael Tsipursky, MD, CEO and Cofounder of Revive BiotechMichael Singer, MD, Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at University of Texas Health Science Center, Director of Clinical Research at Medical Center Ophthalmology Associates, and Principal Investigator for Unity Biotechnology’s BEHOLD trialSamarendra Mohanty, PhD, President and Cofounder; and Sulagna Bhattacharya, CEO and Cofounder of Nanoscope TherapeuticsOptigo is developing binders intended to extend the duration of top-performing intravitreal drugs without compromising efficacy. The company has already had promising results in clinical trials with aflibercept. What’s next?Revive Biotech focuses on central retinal artery occlusion. Its products work by injecting oxyge

OIS Podcast host Carey Powers speaks with four CEOs from leading retina-focus companies to talk about all things innovation. Her guests include:•  Kerrie Brady, BPharm, President and CEO of OcuTerra•  Rich Small, CEO of NeuroTech Pharmaceuticals•  Kester Nahen, PhD, CEO of Notal Vision•  Brad Doerschuk, President and CEO of InFocus ClinicalOcuTerra is developing OTT166, a novel small molecule designed to treat diabetic retinopathy.The product is getting attention because it can deliver product to the retina via an eye drop application, said Kerrie Brady, BPharm, CEO of OcuTerra.The company has completed enrollment for a Phase II trial in 225 patients with diabetic retinopathy. They hope to have topline results in early 2024.Next up: Rich Small, CEO of NeuroTech Pharmaceuticals. The company’s Encapsulated Cell Therapy (ECT) technology enables continuous production of therapeutic proteins to the eye.ECT is central to NT-501, a product being developed to treat macular telangiectasia (MacTel) as well as glaucoma.

At-home OCT enables daily monitoring of patients with neovasular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and other patients that need a lot of follow-ups.With host Carey Powers, Dr. Anat Loewenstein dives into at-home OCT innovation, application, and adoption.Dr. Loewenstein is Head of the Department of Ophthalmology and Vice Dean at Tel Aviv Medical Center. She’s also a fellowship-trained vitreoretinal surgeon and has been heavily involved in research related to early AMD detection.Why all the fuss about at-home OCT? An at-home monitoring solution will potentially lessen the number of appointments for patients who don’t need them. More-frequent monitoring could also help catch disease changes sooner so doctors can facilitate treatment asap.Listen to the podcast today to discover:How at-home OCT works and the role artificial intelligence (AI) plays in image analysis.The patient experience when using at-home OCT.How disease activity alerts are delivered from the at-home device to the physician.Once a physician

Keith Valentine is the first and only visually impaired head of a national sight loss organization in the UK.As the President and CEO of Vision Foundation, London’s leading sight loss charity, Valentine guides an organization that provides services for blind and visually impaired people countrywide. He also has plans to increase the organization’s research commitment.In March 2023, Vision Foundation merged with Fight for Sight, the leading UK charity dedicated to stopping sight loss through pioneering research. Combined with Vision Foundation’s legacy as a service provider, the new organization intends to make a bigger impact on both science and services.Valentine said out of all the sight loss funding currently available in the UK, the majority goes toward much-needed services. Only a small slice is available for research. Vision Foundation currently distributes about £2 million per year to fund research, and it’s one of the larger UK sight loss charities.Valentine told host Rob Rothman, MD, the deficit of r

Two recent drug approvals changed the game for ocular surface disease: Xdemvy (lotilaner ophthalmic solution) 0.25 percent (Tarsus Pharmaceuticals) for Demodex blepharitis, and Miebo (perfluorohexyloctane ophthalmic solution) from Bausch + Lomb and Novaliq for evaporative dry eye disease. On today’s podcast, two ocular surface disease experts talk about these and other developments related to dry eye.Our guests:Laura Periman, MD, aka “the dry eye master” and founder of Periman Eye InstituteLisa Nijm, MD, JD, a corneal, cataract, and Lasik specialist at Warrenville Eyecare and Lasik in Warrenville, IllinoisDr. Periman was an investigator in the Xdemvy clinical trials, and Dr. Nijm was involved in an extended observational study.“Before Xdemvy, patients’ options were limited,” Dr. Nijm told host Carey Powers. “When treated with Xdemvy, at one year, about 60 percent of patients still had clearance of Demodex.”Periman noted that during clinical trials, within a week or two she noticed “impressive improvements” in

Yari Mitchell spent nearly 13 years with AcuFocus, an ophthalmic device company, before overseeing its acquisition by Bausch + Lomb. As head of Y Factor Consulting, she now helps innovators move their product from the lab to a funded company.Greg Kunst, President and CEO of Aurion Biotech, a cell therapy company, led the start-up to a $120 million raise in 2022.Both Mitchell and Kunst sat down with host Carey Powers to discuss two topics they’re more than familiar with: raising capital and navigating M&As.When you’re working to raise funding, a gift for storytelling will take you far, they said. That story must show how your product will take market share or otherwise deliver value. The story must be unique enough to spark interest, but not so unique that it scares off investors.“You need to have a clear unmet need and you have to be different,” said Kunst.Start-up founders must also consider reimbursement paths as early in the process as feasible.Mitchell and Kunst also advised listeners on how to stand

Wesley Jackson, PhD, spent years conducting post-doctoral research and writing grants, all the while setting the wheels in motion to launch Valitor.Valitor is developing VLTR-557 a long-lasting anti-VEGF. The technology platform, a multivalent polymer (MVP), is integral to VLTR-557.With Firas Rahhal, MD, Dr. Jackson shares why he stuck with the science behind Valitor during his PhD studies and beyond. He also discusses why he kept his sights set on entrepreneurship while his colleagues pursued academic careers.Long story short: Dr. Jackson worked for a medtech start-up as a college student and fell for the “we’re all in this together” culture of the company.As the scientist behind MVP, Dr. Jackson says his commitment and passion for the company and its products give Valitor a competitive edge. A larger company may shelve an acquired product, leaving it to sit ignored. The start-up has ownership, and will maintain that responsibility for as long as it takes.Listen to the podcast today to discover:More about Dr

Aziz Mottiwala, Chief Commercial Officer of Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, says the company looks for honest unmet needs when deciding what targets to explore. It also looks for opportunities to be the first or the best.The company may meet both objectives with TP-03, an antiparasitic agent developed to treat Demodex blepharitis, among other conditions.Mottiwala describes lotilaner, the molecule behind TP-03 and other Tarsus therapies, as a “pipeline in a molecule.” The company is evaluating formulations of lotilaner for the treatment of Lyme disease and rosacea as well as Demodex blepharitis.With podcast host Carey Powers, Mottiwala and Bill Link, PhD, Managing Director of Versant Ventures and leader of the firm’s ophthalmology venture category, discuss how to execute successful direct-to-consumer campaigns, including the “eyelid check” campaign for Demodex blepharitis.They also discuss the investment outlook for eye care. With funding harder to come by, start-ups may want to take note of how Dr. Link evaluates com

Daniela Ferrara, Principal Medical Director at Genentech, calls her extensive medical training in Brazil her “north star.” Yet, she was frustrated by the limitations of clinical practice. “Having patients go blind under my watch, I realized I would never defeat blindness through practice,” she said.She turned her attention to clinical research, where her work could potentially improve the health of many rather than the few. More recently, with a focus on applying artificial intelligence and machine learning to multimodal imaging, her work could impact an even broader population sooner.With podcast host Firas Rahhal, MD, Dr. Ferrara discusses her medical experience in Brazil and her research fellowship at the Manhattan Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital, which is affiliated with New York University. She also discusses her move into industry; however, it’s not a complete switch: she maintains an academic affiliation with Tufts University School of Medicine, which allows her to stay connected to academia.Whether aca

Host Carey Powers caught up with two digital health experts right after the Digital Ophthalmic Society (DOS) Digital Day program at the recent ASCRS conference in San Diego, California: Ranya Habash, MD, cofounder of MetaMed, DOS board member, and CEO of LifeLong Vision SPAC; and David Rhew, Global Chief Medical Officer and Vice President of Healthcare at Microsoft.On today’s podcast, the two thought leaders gave a quick recap of Digital Day before diving into how physicians can actually use digital tools in the “real world.”Dr. Habash and Rhew first discussed the promise of augmented and virtual reality and the metaverse, clearing up a common misconception: you don’t need a fancy headset to experience immersive technology.During MetaMed’s first-ever live-streamed 3D surgery in the metaverse, for example, doctors joined from their laptops and smartphones. That they could illustrates the potential to democratize advanced technology.Later, the conversation flowed to workflows. For ophthalmologists to use these