Amdahl joins Ora

Andover, MA-Larry Amdahl has joined independent ophthalmic product development firm Ora Inc. as director of clinical operations for dry eye.

In his new role, Amdahl will be responsible for overseeing both the tactical execution of clinical programs and the planning and process evolution of the company’s dry eye operations group. He began his career in the ophthalmic division of Allergan, held director roles at Dynavax Technologies Corp. and in the ophthalmic division of Santen Inc., and most recently was director of clinical affairs for Dow Pharmaceutical Sciences.

“As a senior clinical research management professional with a proven track record of successfully leading teams in conducting phase I to IV clinical trials in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, Larry will be a terrific addition to our team,” said Stuart B. Abelson, president and chief executive officer of Ora. “With multiple dry eye programs advancing into phase III this year, we are entering an exciting time with significant increases in both activity and operational complexity, and I am confident that Larry’s focused leadership of this critical growth area will ensure we continue to meet client expectations.”

Led by George Ousler, vice president, Ora’s dry eye department consists of 25 professionals, including ophthalmologists and research PhDs, who study dry eye. The department is working with several researchers to develop the next generation of treatments for the condition. Over the last 13 years, the company has evaluated more than 10,000 patients across 150 dry eye trials, looking at 25 investigational drugs including hormonal therapies, secretagogues, mucomimetics, anti-evaporatives, anti-inflammatories, and nutritional supplements.