SPONSORS
PREMIER SPONSORS
Astellas Pharma
Astellas Pharma US, Inc., is a U.S. affiliate of Tokyo-based Astellas Pharma Inc., with its headquarters located in Northbrook, Illinois. More than 3,000 Astellas employees are based in the United States. Astellas is a pharmaceutical company dedicated to improving the health of people around the world through the provision of innovative and reliable pharmaceutical products.
Bausch + Lomb
Bausch + Lomb is dedicated to protecting and enhancing the gift of sight for millions of people around the world – from the moment of birth through every phase of life. Its comprehensive portfolio of more than 400 products includes contact lenses, lens care products, eye care products, ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter products and ophthalmic surgical devices and instruments. Founded in 1853, Bausch + Lomb has a significant global research and development, manufacturing and commercial footprint with more than 12,000 employees and a presence in nearly 100 countries. Bausch + Lomb is headquartered in Vaughan, Ontario with corporate offices in Bridgewater, New Jersey. For more information, visit www.bausch.com and connect with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.
SUPPORTING SPONSORS
Apellis
Apellis is a global biopharmaceutical company that leverages courageous science, creativity, and compassion to lead the development of therapies that target the complement system. Apellis is committed to addressing the unmet medical needs of patients and eye care professionals worldwide, with the goal of slowing progression of Geographic Atrophy.
Genentech
Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, has more than 40 years of experience in the field of biotechnology. Genentech is researching and developing new treatments for people living with a range of eye diseases that cause significant visual impairment and blindness, including wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic macular edema (DME), diabetic retinopathy (DR), geographic atrophy (GA), and other retinal diseases.
Ocular Therapeutix
Ocular Therapeutix, Inc. (NASDAQ:OCUL) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the formulation, development, and commercialization of innovative therapies for diseases and conditions of the eye using its proprietary bioresorbable hydrogel-based formulation technology. Our robust product pipeline positions Ocular Therapeutix to become a leader in the ophthalmic space due to our ability to create drug delivery solutions that reduce the complexity and burden of the current standard of care by developing sustained release alternatives. With a focus on advancing our products through to Phase 3 clinical trials, our intention is to develop a commercially viable portfolio to overcome the issues of patient compliance and adherence by providing means of more consistent and reliable drug dosing for better patient outcomes.
Opthea
Opthea (ASX/NASDAQ:OPT) is a biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapies to address the unmet need in the treatment of highly prevalent and progressive retinal diseases, including wet age-related macular degeneration
(wet AMD) and diabetic macular edema (DME).
Opthea’s lead product candidate, sozinibercept, is being evaluated in two pivotal Phase 3 clinical trials (COAST, NCT04757636, and ShORe, NCT04757610) for use in combination with standard-of-care anti-VEGF-A monotherapies to improve overall efficacy and deliver superior vision gains compared to standard-of-care anti-VEGF-A agents.
Stuart Therapeutics
Stuart Therapeutics (Stuart) is a clinical stage pharmaceutical company focused on the development of a unique synthetic protein designed to target a previously undruggable target in the human body: helical collagen. The company’s platform technology, called PolyColTM (PolyCol), is a series of synthesized amino acid sequences designed to specifically bind to and repair disease-damaged helical collagen in the extracellular matrix and in membranes. These helical collagen structures play an important role in healthy tissues, including the regulation of inflammation, cell growth and proliferation, among many other processes.
Stuart was founded in 2018 to champion a new approach to the treatment of chronic diseases. Each of our founders has been affected directly or indirectly by chronic eye disease, and we have a passion for the pursuit of new and effective solutions for these indications.
Stuart’s areas of interest are Dry Eye Disease, Glaucoma, Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Myopia.
INNOVATION SPONSORS
Adaptive Sensory Technology
Adaptive Sensory Technology, Inc. (AST) is a leader in visual function endpoints and reading center services for the pharmaceutical industry. AST’s Manifold is an innovative data science platform, that leverages an active learning architecture offering the first generative model for visual acuity and contrast sensitivity. The Manifold includes quantitative Contrast Sensitivity (qCSF), quantitative Visual Acuity (qVA), and multidimensional analyses of low-contrast and low-luminance vision. With a growing global network spanning 175 retina sites, AST is advancing visual function endpoints that offer quantitative insights for ophthalmic clinical research. For more information please contact us at info@adaptivesensorytech.com.
Adverum Biotechnologies
Adverum Biotechnologies (NASDAQ: ADVM) is a clinical-stage company that aims to establish gene therapy as a new standard of care for highly prevalent ocular diseases with the aspiration of developing functional cures for these diseases to restore vision and prevent blindness. Leveraging the research capabilities of its proprietary, intravitreal (IVT) platform, Adverum is developing durable, single-administration therapies, designed to be delivered in physicians’ offices, to eliminate the need for frequent ocular injections to treat these diseases. Adverum is evaluating its novel gene therapy candidate, ixoberogene soroparvovec (Ixo-vec, formerly referred to as ADVM-022), as a one-time, IVT injection for patients with neovascular or wet age-related macular degeneration. By overcoming the challenges associated with current treatment paradigms for these debilitating ocular diseases, Adverum aspires to transform the standard of care, preserve vision, and create a profound societal impact around the globe. For more information, please visit www.adverum.com.
Aurion Biotech
Aurion Biotech is a clinical-stage biotech company, whose mission is to restore vision to millions of patients with life-changing regenerative therapies. Aurion Biotech is the recipient of the prestigious Prix Galien award for best start-up in biotech. The Company’s first candidate is for the treatment of corneal edema secondary to corneal endothelial disease, and is the first off-the-shelf, clinically validated cell therapy for corneal care, having received regulatory approval in Japan. The Company is preparing for clinical trials in the U.S. Privately held, Aurion Biotech is backed by leading investors that include Deerfield, Alcon, Petrichor, Flying L Partners, Falcon Vision / KKR, and Visionary Ventures. To learn more about Aurion Biotech, visit www.aurionbiotech.com
Clearside Biomedical
Clearside Biomedical, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company revolutionizing the delivery of therapies to the back of the eye through the suprachoroidal space (SCS®). Clearside’s SCS injection platform, utilizing the Company’s proprietary SCS Microinjector®, enables an in-office, repeatable, non-surgical procedure for the targeted and compartmentalized delivery of a wide variety of therapies to the macula, retina, or choroid to potentially preserve and improve vision in patients with sight-threatening eye diseases. Clearside is developing its own pipeline of small molecule product candidates for administration via its SCS Microinjector. The Company’s lead program, CLS-AX (axitinib injectable suspension), for the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD), is in Phase 2 clinical testing. Clearside developed and gained approval for its first product, XIPERE® (triamcinolone acetonide injectable suspension) for suprachoroidal use, which is available in the U.S. through a commercial partner. Clearside also strategically partners its SCS injection platform with companies utilizing other ophthalmic therapeutic innovations.
EyePoint Pharmaceuticals
EyePoint Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: EYPT) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to developing and commercializing therapeutics to help improve the lives of patients with serious retinal diseases. The Company's pipeline leverages its proprietary bioerodible Durasert E ™ technology for sustained intraocular drug delivery. The Company’s lead product candidate, EYP-1901, is an investigational sustained delivery.
Lenz Therapeutics
LENZ Therapeutics is a late-stage clinical company developing innovative ophthalmic pharmaceutical products that improve vision, proudly based in San Diego. Our lead program is an aceclidine based eye drop designed to restore the loss of near vision associated with presbyopia.
LumiThera
LumiThera, Inc. is a medical device company commercializing a multi-wavelength instrument for the ophthalmologist’s office that improves vision and slows the progression of vision loss in patients with degenerative eye disease. The Company’s focus to date has been on the treatment of patients with dry agerelated macular degeneration (AMD). The Company has significant expertise in the use of Photobiomodulation (PBM), which is the use of light therapy to stimulate cells using light emitting diodes (LEDs) of selected wavelengths. The Company has recently expanded their product lines to include two approved diagnostic devices for early detection and monitoring of eye disease.
The company has completed its US pivotal clinical trial and showed sustained vision improvements and slowing of disease. It markets their Valeda Light Delivery System in the EU and Latin America and is anticipating US approval in 2024.
Nanodropper
Nanodropper is a commercial-stage medical device company offering high-value solutions to adherence barriers in chronic eye disease management. The flagship product is a micro-volume delivery adaptor that reduces droplet volume and cost by more than 60% to increase access to vision-saving medications, elevate the user experience, and improve visual outcomes for older adults. It has been clinically validated through four clinical trials and has been demonstrated to be superior to the standard of care in IOP management, with an 80% reduction in early bottle exhaustion rates, and a 67% reduction in side effects. It can now be found through more than 2500 eye care clinics with customers including Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins, the VA system, and NASA.
Neurotech Pharmaceuticals
Neurotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a private clinical stage biotech company focused on developing transformative therapies to slow the progression of Macular Telangiectasia (MacTel) Type 2 and other chronic retinal diseases through its core platform technology, Encapsulated Cell Therapy (ECT). To learn more, visit https://www.neurotechpharmaceuticals.com/.
Novaliq
Novaliq is a private biopharmaceutical company focusing on the development of first- and best-in-class ocular therapeutics. Novaliq developed EyeSol®, a novel drug category of water-free topical eye medicines. Two FDA-approved EyeSol medicinal products for dry eye disease - Miebo™ and Vevye™ - have recently been launched in clinical practices of eyecare professionals in the US and are beginning to revolutionize patient care. The EyeSol®-based products for dry eye disease are successfully partnered in major markets and are under regulatory review in several further countries and regions.
The Novaliq R&D pipeline provides multiple opportunities for development in ophthalmology and retina therapies.
Novaliq’s vision is to accelerate the company growth and pipeline expansion to build a leading eyecare biopharma company and is thus inviting Partners and Investors to join the success story and bring Novaliq to the next level.
Oculis
Oculis is a global biopharmaceutical company purposefully driven to save sight and improve eye care. Oculis’ highly differentiated clinical-stage pipeline includes: OCS-01, a topical candidate in Phase 3 for diabetic macular edema and inflammation and pain following ocular surgery; OCS-02, a topical biologic candidate in Phase 2b for dry eye disease and uveitis; and OCS-05, a disease modifying candidate for acute optic neuritis and other neuro-ophthalmic disorders. Headquartered in Switzerland and with operations in the US, Oculis’ goal is to deliver life-changing eye treatments to patients worldwide. The company is led by an experienced management team and supported by leading international healthcare investors.
ONL Therapeutics
ONL Therapeutics (ONL) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to protecting and improving the vision of patients with retinal disease. By advancing a breakthrough technology designed to protect key retinal cells from Fas-mediated cell death, ONL is pioneering a new approach to preserving vision. ONL is developing a platform of products for use in a wide range of blinding diseases, including retinal detachment, glaucoma, AMD and IRD. ONL1204, the Company's lead compound, is currently being used in three Phase 1b studies in the indications of retinal detachment, Geographic Atrophy and Open Angle Glaucoma. The Company is preparing to enter Phase 2 studies in the same indications.
Opus Genetics
Opus Genetics is a clinical-stage ophthalmic biopharmaceutical company developing therapies
to treat patients with inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) and therapies to treat patients with other
retinal and refractive disorders. The pipeline includes adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based gene
therapies that address mutations in genes that cause different forms of bestrophinopathy, Leber
congenital amaurosis (LCA) and retinitis pigmentosa. The company’s most advanced gene
therapy program is designed to address mutations in the LCA5 gene, which encodes the
lebercilin protein and is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1/2 open-label, dose-escalation
trial, with encouraging early data. The pipeline also includes Phentolamine Ophthalmic Solution
0.75%, a non-selective alpha-1 and alpha-2 adrenergic antagonist to reduce pupil size, and
APX3330, a novel small-molecule inhibitor of Ref-1 to slow the progression of non-proliferative
diabetic retinopathy. Phentolamine Ophthalmic Solution 0.75% is currently being evaluated in
Phase 3 trials for presbyopia and dim (mesopic) light vision disturbances.
Outlook Therapeutics
Outlook Therapeutics is a pre-commercial biopharmaceutical company working to develop and launch ONS-5010 / LYTENAVA™ (bevacizumab-vikg) as the first FDA-approved ophthalmic formulation of bevacizumab for use in retinal indications, including wet AMD, DME and BRVO. Outlook Therapeutics submitted a Biologics License Application (BLA) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for ONS-5010 to treat wet AMD on March 30, 2022. After conversations with the FDA about its filing, the Company has voluntarily withdrawn the BLA as it works to provide supplemental information that the FDA has requested. Outlook Therapeutics remains in active discussions with the FDA and expects to resubmit the BLA by September 2022. If ONS-5010 is approved, Outlook Therapeutics expects to commercialize it as the first and only FDA-approved ophthalmic formulation of bevacizumab for use in treating retinal diseases in the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, Japan, Greater China and other markets. Outlook Therapeutics’ BLA submission for ONS-5010 is as a new BLA under the PHSA 351(a) regulatory pathway.
If ONS-5010 is approved, the Company expects to commercialize it through best-in-class partnerships. To date, Outlook Therapeutics has manufacturing partnerships with Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies and Ajinomoto Biopharma Services to provide product manufacturing in their best-in-class cGMP global manufacturing facilities.
Outlook Therapeutics has also executed a supply agreement for a best-in-class pre-filled ophthalmic syringe that will provide both ease-of-use for clinicians and add to ONS-5010’s potential safety profile over the current unapproved therapies that have caused problems related to syringe malfunction, contamination, etc.
Outlook Therapeutics intends to create goodwill and acceptance among payors, retinal specialists and patients by offering excellent value in an FDA-approved ONS-5010.
Viridian Therapeutics
Viridian Therapeutics is developing potential best-in-class medicines for people living with autoimmune and rare diseases, including multiple clinical candidates for the treatment of thyroid eye disease (TED). Viridian aims to advance VRDN-001 as a differentiated intravenous therapy and VRDN-003 as a potential best-in-class subcutaneous therapy for the treatment of TED.
Visus Therapeutics
With offices in Seattle, Wash., and Irvine, Calif., Visus Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing multi-targeted ophthalmic therapeutics. The company has completed one of two pivotal studies for a potential best-in-class miotic eyedrop to correct for the loss of near vision associated with presbyopia, BRIMOCHOL PF. In parallel, Visus Therapeutics is advancing its pipeline of early-stage ophthalmic drug candidates engineered to preserve and restore visual function associated with the leading causes of vision loss.
MEDIA PARTNERS
