Charles Semba, MD

Charles Semba serves as the company’s Chief Medical Officer (CMO). With more than 20 years in ophthalmic research and drug development, Dr. Semba has served as CMO in three prior ophthalmic companies: SARcode Bioscience (acquired by Shire/Takeda), ForSight VISION5 (acquired by
Allergan), and Graybug Vision (NASDAQ: GRAY). He has held senior leadership roles as Vice President of Ophthalmic Medicine at Shire/Takeda and Ophthalmology Group Head at Genentech. Dr. Semba led the clinical development of ranibizumab (LUCENTIS®), the first global blockbuster anti-VEGF agent to reverse blindness in wet age-related macular degeneration and lifitegrast (XIIDRA®), the first novel agent for the treatment of both signs and symptoms of dry eye disease; XIIDRA was acquired by Novartis for over $5 billion (USD). Currently an adjunct professor at Stanford University, he earned his MD at the University of Minnesota, his Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry (cum laude) at Carleton College and completed his residency in diagnostic radiology at the University of California – San Diego and fellowship in cardiovascular/interventional radiology at the Miami Vascular Institute (University of Miami).