Surface Ophthalmics, Inc. announced it has appointed Richard Lindstrom, MD, as founder and chairman, and will be advancing two products from its ocular surface disease (OSD) portfolio.
I need a refresher on this company.
Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Pleasanton, California, Surface Ophthalmics is a biopharmaceutical company that is developing novel OSD treatments.
Its proprietary portfolio consists of topical eye drop solutions focused on managing and treating the various stages of dry eye syndrome (DES)—also known as dry eye disease (DED).
But we’ll discuss two of these later …
Now tell me about this new chairman.
His specialties: corneal, cataract, refractive, and laser surgery
As founder and attending surgeon emeritus at Minnesota Eye Consultants in Bloomington, Minnesota—and with over 40 years of clinical experience—Dr. Lindstrom is also currently:
- Adjunct professor emeritus at the University of Minnesota’s Department of Ophthalmology
- Chairman of the Vision Foundation
- Associate director of the Minnesota Lions Eye Bank (University of Minnesota)
- Medical director of TLC Laser Eye Centers, Sightpath Medical, and Refractec
- Chief medical editor of Ocular Surgery News (U.S. and international editions)
- Member of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ASCRS) Executive Committee
- Chair of the ASCRS Foundation’s Corporate Gifts Committee
His past includes:
- President of:
- International Society of Refractive Surgery
- International Refractive Surgery Club
- ASCRS
See here for more details.
So what will his role be at Surface?
Per the company, Dr. Lindstrom will be leading the company in partnership with its Board of Directors, which includes Adrienne Graves, PhD, as lead director.
“I am honored and thrilled to lead Surface Ophthalmics into its next phase of expansion,” he stated, “as we work to advance the company’s innovative and proprietary medicinal candidates for patients suffering from [dry eye].”
Speaking of these candidates … give me a rundown.
Surface’s top two products for DES include:
- Kera Sol Tears
- Over-the-counter (OTC) artificial tear solution
- Designed as a short-term therapy for fast-acting, temporary relief of burning and irritation due to eye dryness
- Mycosol (Surf-101)
- Prescription-based eye drop formulated to deliver mycophenolate (MPA), an immunosuppressive agent, in the company’s proprietary vehicle in order to provide sustained immunosuppressive effects at the ocular surface.
- Note: MPA is also known to selectively target and inhibit replication / rapid increase of T- and B-lymphocytes involved in dry eye inflammation.
- The potential: to provide sustained immunosuppressive action and mucin upregulation at the ocular surface, according to the company.
- Prescription-based eye drop formulated to deliver mycophenolate (MPA), an immunosuppressive agent, in the company’s proprietary vehicle in order to provide sustained immunosuppressive effects at the ocular surface.
Gotcha. And where are these products in the clinical process?
Surface is targeting a 2025 commercial launch in the U.S. for Kera Sol Tears.
And for Mycosol, results from a recent phase 2 clinical trial are slated to be published in the near future; the company stated that it is also working with the FDA on the study design for two phase 3 clinical trials and are planning to initiate enrollment in its first phase 3 trial in 2025.
So stay tuned!