CEOs Share Lessons from IPOs
A panel of ophthalmology executives at the Ophthalmology Innovation Summit discuss the perks and pitfalls of going public.
Moderator:
David Guyer, MD
Under Dr. Guyer’s leadership, Ophthotech raised more than $350 million in financing from May to September 2013, including a $192 million IPO, a multi-tranched $125 million royalty financing deal with Novo A/S and a $50 million Series C private funding round.
Panelists:
Susan Washer
Sue Washer, President and CEO of AGTC, is an experienced entrepreneur with a strong scientific and operational background. She has a degree in biochemistry from Michigan State University and an MBA from the University of Florida where she was one of the first graduates from the Entrepreneurship program.
Amar Sawhney, PhD
Amarpreet Sawhney, Ph.D., co-founded Ocular Therapeautix in 2006, has since served as President and CEO and was elected Chairman of the Board in 2014. Dr. Sawhney served as CEO of Augmenix, from 2008 until 2014 and is a general partner of Incept, LLC, an intellectual property holding company.
Vicente Anido, Jr., PhD
Vicente Anido, Jr., PhD currently serves as CEO and Chairman of the Board of Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a publicly traded, clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of first-in-class therapies for the treatment of patients with glaucoma and other diseases of the eye.
Brian Johnson
Brian Johnson has extensive experience representing public and private companies and financial institutions, including investment banking clients, in a wide variety of corporate finance and other strategic transactions.
Thomas W. Chalberg, PhD
Dr. Chalberg is a Co-Founder and CEO of Avalanche. He has helped the company advance by recruiting the management team and scientific advisory board, and by leading business development efforts related to in-licensing and research collaborations.
Michael Gaito
Mr. Gaito is a Managing Director in J.P. Morgan’s Healthcare Investment Banking group responsible for the firm’s West Coast Life Sciences practice. He has been with J.P. Morgan and its predecessor firms for more than 18 years, beginning with Hambrecht & Quist’s Investment Banking group, focusing on the pharmaceutical industry.