Ocular Therapeutix (NSDQ:OCUL) said yesterday that its chief financial officer, Bradford Smith, will resign from the company at the end of this month.
James Fortune, Ocular’s chief operating officer, will assume the roles of principal financial officer and principal accounting officer, according to a regulatory filing. He has served in his current position since 2008 and has also worked as the COO of Augmenix Inc. from 2008 to 2014. Fortune previously worked as the COO of Confluent Surgical and has held senior management roles at Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ).
Last week, the Bedford, Mass-based company touted data from a patient experience study of its Dextenza post-surgical pain relief implant. The study was published in Patient Preference and Adherence.
Ocular’s hydrogel plug, inserted into a patient’s tear duct, is designed to deliver a sustained dose of dexamethasone over 4 weeks following ophthalmic surgery. After the treatment is complete, the plug resorbs and exits the nasolacrimal system without the need for a removal procedure.
The retrospective patient experience study enrolled 25 patients who received treatment in the company’s Phase III trial of Dextenza. According to the data, all of the patients reported that the insert was comfortable and 96% felt that it was extremely or very convenient compared to topical eye drops. Patients were very satisfied with the product, with 88% saying that they would request Dextenza if they were to have cataract surgery again.
Biogen names senior VP of research & early development
Biogen (NSDQ:BIIB) appointed Anirvan Ghosh as senior VP of research & early development to lead the company in the discovery and development of drug candidates. Ghosh previously served as chief scientific officer at E-Scape Bio.
“Biogen has been a pioneer in bringing breakthrough medicines to patients with multiple sclerosis and spinal muscular atrophy, as well as finding new approaches for Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and ALS – conditions that represent some of the hardest challenges in medicine,” Ghosh said in prepared remarks. “I am excited and honored to lead research and early development, and I look forward to accelerating our efforts to translate the highest quality science and our best ideas into a new generation of medicines at Biogen.”
Abbott’s exec VP of establish pharmaceuticals to retire
At the beginning of March, Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) said that its executive VP of established pharmaceuticals, Michael Warmuth, will retire effective March 31.
The company has not yet named a successor.
Bristol-Myers names exec VP, chief scientific officer
Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY) said Dr. Thomas Lynch will succeed Francis Cuss as the company’s executive VP and chief scientific officer. Lynch will also step down from the board of directors.
Lynch has served as chairman & CEO of Massachusetts General Physicians Organization and as a member of the Massachusetts General Hospital Board since 2015, according to the company.
Fischer to take the corner office at Gerresheimer
Gerresheimer AG said that Christian Fischer will join the management board as an ordinary member in August this year before taking over as CEO in September. Fischer is currently the president of performance chemicals at BASF SE.
“Gerresheimer AG is a highly successful, international company and a trusted partner to the pharma and healthcare industry. I am looking forward to my new role in this exciting company and market,” Fischer said.
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