Moving From the Clinic to the C-suite with OcuTerra’s Dr. David Tanzer and Dr. Kerrie Brady

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OIS podcast host Paul Karpecki, OD, FAAO, caught up with OcuTerra Therapeutics CEO Kerrie Brady, PharmD, and CMO David Tanzer, MD, to discuss OcuTerra’s novel small-molecule integrin inhibitor. Preclinical data impressed Dr. Tanzer enough to resign from his CMO role at Novartis to help develop OTT166, a topical agent for moderately severe to severe nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (DR).

The standard of care for patients with DR is to simply watch and wait. Intravitreal anti-VEGF injections are an option when complications occur, but they can pose a significant treatment burden for patients. Phase I data for OTT166 looks promising, and patients can administer the drops at home.

With $35 million in Series B financing secured, OcuTerra will move into Phase II clinical trials early next year, with the goal of dosing 200 patients for the study.

Listen to the podcast today to hear Dr. Brady and Dr. Tanzer take a deep dive into the mechanism of action of OTT166 and the objectives for the Phase II study. You’ll also discover:
• The science behind the fluorination technology that enables OTT166.
• The story of how both transitioned from medicine to industry. Dr. Brady entered pharma and biotech after completing a PharmD program. Today she’s an “unrepentant entrepreneur.” Dr. Tanzer practiced ophthalmology for 20 years before moving into executive roles at Abbott Medical Optics—since acquired by Johnson & Johnson Vision—Novartis, and now OcuTerra.
• Dr. Tanzer’s advice for physicians with industry aspirations, and Dr. Brady’s advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Click “play” to listen.