A new month calls for a rundown on all the latest executive changes in the eyecare space.
On the agenda for our latest installment: updates announced over the last few weeks at Nanoscope Therapeutics; Topcon Healthcare, Inc.; Tenpoint Therapeutics, Ltd; and—most recently—TheiaLife.
We’ve got the details below.
First up: Nanoscope.
Appropriately so, considering the biotechnology company named its new chief operating officer (COO) at the beginning of April.
Who that is: Paul Hallen, a veteran ophthalmic executive with over three decades of leadership experience in marketing, sales, manufacturing, quality, research and development (R&D), and business strategy.
Where do we know him from?
Hallen hails from Alcon, where he most recently served as vice president and global head of Retina and, prior to that, as a VP of R&D and a board member for the company’s U.S. Retina division.
So what will this new role entail?
Per Nanoscope, Hallen will head up its global operations in advancing its optogenetic therapy MCO-010 (now called MOGENRY) toward a potential regulatory approval and eventual U.S. commercial launch.
As a refresh: The newly-dubbed MOGENRY (sonpiretigene isteparvovec) is a mutation-agnostic optogenetic gene therapy that uses adeno-associated viral vector serotype 2 (AAV2) to deliver an MCO transgene.
- Its intended indications: retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and Stargardt disease
- See here for more on its clinical background.
And what’s the latest update on this therapy?
That would be regarding its RP indication.
As we’ve previously reported, Nanoscope is currently in the process of submitting a Biologics License Application (BLA). See more on that here, including new 3-year clinical data released last fall that’s also included in this submission package.
The plan: To complete this BLA submission in the near future, with the intent for MOGENRY to become the first gene-agnostic therapy for restoring vision in legally blind RP patients.
Nice! Now let’s move on to Topcon’s news …
The division of Topcon Corporation, a Japanese optical equipment manufacturer, shared two major leadership changes for its Americas business unit.
For starters: Chief Commercial Officer Lance Patton was promoted to president (effective April 1).
And with this: Ali Tafresh, the company’s long-time president and CEO, will remain as CEO but also step into the newly-created role of Chief of Strategy for its global eyecare business.
Why create a new position?
Great question. The answer has to do with expanding Topcon’s global strategy (particularly as the company continues to pursue its ongoing Healthcare from the Eye initiative.
For background on that—and to see the latest developments—click here and see here.
Duly noted. Next up: Tenpoint.
The global commercial ophthalmic pharmaceutical company has appointed Stephen S. Lane, MD, as its new chief medical officer (CMO).
About Dr. Lane: The 40-year-veteran ophthalmologist brings leadership experience in the clinical practice and pharma industry space.
- Most recently: He served as CMO and head of Medical Safety at Alcon.
- Among his other roles:
- Past president of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS)
- Executive chairman of the Holland Foundation for Sight Restoration
- Clinical professor of ophthalmology at the University of Minnesota
And what has Tenpoint been up to as of late?
You may recall its recent U.S. commercialization of YUVEZZI I (carbachol and brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution) 2.75%/0.1% from early last month.
- To refresh: YUVEZZI was approved by the FDA in January as the first and only dual-agent presbyopia-correcting drop, offering up to 10 hours of miosis from a once-daily dosing.
Alrighty, now to TheiaLife.
Considering this is our first coverage of the late-stage biopharma company, here’s what to know:
About the company: Founded in 2015 and based in Dover, Delaware (with plans to move global headquarters to Boston, Massachusetts in the near future), TheiaLife is advancing a pipeline of pharmacological solutions targeting unmet ophthalmic needs.
Its current disease target: early-onset-pediatric myopia.
- Others in the pipeline: dry eye disease (DED), ultraviolet (UVT)-B cataract prevention, corneal blindness, keratoconus, and neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD).
And its lead program?
That would be ND10 (7-Methylxanthine), an oral small-molecule therapy representing a first-in-class adenosine A2A receptor antagonist.
Its purpose: To increase the biomechanical strength of the sclera and prevent eye elongation, thereby blocking myopia progression.
- The data thus far: See here and here for clinical findings supporting its long-term (20-year) efficacy in slowing disease progression among myopic pediatric patients.
- Next up for the investigational tablet: phase 3 evaluations.
I’m updated! Now, what’s the company’s leadership news?
TheiaLife has named a new president and CEO: Thomas Ruggia.
About Ruggia: His leadership experience extends across the ophthalmic, pharma, medical device, and consumer healthcare space.
- Most recently: He served as CEO of Samsara Vision (since 2020).
- Among his prior senior roles: He has held positions at Johnson & Johnson, Alcon, and Novartis.
And what will his focus be as the head of TheiaLife?
First and foremost: The advancement and initiation of phase 3 clinical development plans for ND10.
Stay tuned for more on this!
That’s a wrap on leadership updates for now — check back here for more coverage in the future.