BEDFORD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep. 14, 2015--
Ocular Therapeutix, Inc. (NASDAQ:OCUL), a biopharmaceutical company
focused on the development and commercialization of innovative therapies
for diseases and conditions of the eye, today announced that Jeffrey S.
Heier, M.D., a prominent retinal specialist, has been elected to
Ocular’s Board of Directors. Dr. Heier is a leading retinal clinical
researcher of new treatments for diseases of the back of the eye,
including macular degeneration, diabetic macular edema, and venous
occlusive disease.
“We are very excited to have Dr. Heier join the Board of Directors as we
continue to advance our hydrogel platform technology and product
programs addressing diseases of both the front and back of the eye. Jeff
is a highly regarded retinal specialist and has been involved with
numerous programs for back of the eye diseases. His background
complements fellow Board member Dr. Richard Lindstrom’s expertise in
front of the eye diseases. We expect Jeff’s expertise to be valuable as
we further progress our anti-VEGF and TKI programs toward the clinic,”
said Amar Sawhney, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer.
Dr. Heier currently serves as the Director of the Vitreoretinal Service
and Retina Research at Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston (OCB), one of
the premier multi-specialty ophthalmology practices in the United
States. He is also the Co-Director of the Vitreoretinal Fellowship at
OCB/Tufts University School of Medicine. Further, Dr. Heier is the
President-elect of the New England Ophthalmological Society and is on
the Executive Board of the Retina Society and the Board of the American
Society of Retina Specialists. He is the former Secretary of Online
Education for the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the prior
President of the Center for Eye Research and Education Foundation
(Boston). Dr. Heier is on the Scientific Advisory Board or serves as
Clinical Design Consultant to a number of biotechnical or pharmaceutical
companies and has been the lead investigator on numerous clinical
trials, ranging from phase I safety and proof of concept trials to phase
IV post-marketing studies. These advisory roles have involved many
companies working on anti-VEGF agents for the treatment of wet AMD and
other retinal diseases. He has received numerous awards and has been the
author or co-author on more than 80 peer-reviewed articles or books and
book chapters.
Dr. Heier received his medical degree from Boston University and
completed his ophthalmology residency at Fitzsimons Army Medical Center.
He also completed a vitreoretinal fellowship at OCB/Tufts University
School of Medicine.
Dr. Heier stated, “This is an exciting time for Ocular Therapeutix as it
anticipates further clinical progress and expects to report key data
from clinical studies later this year. I view Ocular’s technology as a
very promising approach to address the deficiencies of current therapies
for the treatment of back of the eye diseases, and I look forward to
contributing to the preclinical and clinical development efforts to
advance these programs.”
About Ocular Therapeutix
Ocular Therapeutix, Inc. (NASDAQ: OCUL) is a biopharmaceutical company
focused on the development and commercialization of innovative therapies
for diseases and conditions of the eye using its proprietary hydrogel
platform technology. Ocular Therapeutix's lead product candidates are in
Phase 3 clinical development for post-surgical ocular inflammation and
pain and allergic conjunctivitis, and Phase 2 clinical development for
glaucoma and inflammatory dry eye disease. The Company is also
evaluating sustained-release injectable anti-VEGF drug depots for
back-of-the-eye diseases. Ocular Therapeutix's first product, ReSure®
Sealant, is FDA-approved to seal corneal incisions following cataract
surgery.
Forward Looking Statements
Any statements in this press release about future expectations, plans
and prospects for the Company, including statements about the
development of the Company’s product candidates, such as the ongoing
development of the Company’s sustained release hydrogel depot technology,
the advancement of the Company's other product candidates and other
statements containing the words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate,"
"expect," "intend", "goal," "may", "might," "plan," "predict,"
"project," "target," "potential," "will," "would," "could," "should,"
"continue," and similar expressions, constitute forward-looking
statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those
indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various
important factors. Such forward-looking statements involve substantial
risks and uncertainties that could cause the Company’s clinical
development programs, future results, performance or achievements to
differ significantly from those expressed or implied by the
forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among
others, those related to the timing and costs involved in
commercializing ReSure® Sealant, the initiation
and conduct of clinical trials, availability of data from clinical
trials and expectations for regulatory submissions and approvals, the
Company’s scientific approach and general development progress, the
availability or commercial potential of the Company’s product
candidates, the sufficiency of cash resources and need for additional
financing or other actions and other factors discussed in the “Risk
Factors” section contained in the Company’s quarterly and annual reports
on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition, the
forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the
Company’s views as of the date of this release. The Company anticipates
that subsequent events and developments will cause the Company’s views
to change. However, while the Company may elect to update these
forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company
specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking
statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company’s views
as of any date subsequent to the date of this release.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150914006251/en/
Source: Ocular Therapeutix, Inc.
Investors:
Ocular Therapeutix, Inc.
Brad Smith
Chief
Financial Officer
bsmith@ocutx.com
or
Scott
Corning
Vice President of Sales and Marketing
scorning@ocutx.com
or
Burns
McClellan on behalf of Ocular Therapeutix
Kimberly Minarovich,
212-213-0006
kminarovich@burnsmc.com
or
Media:
Justin
Jackson, 212-213-0006
jjackson@burnsmc.com
