Innovation is the focus of New Horizon Forum

Glaucoma 360, the Glaucoma Research Foundation’s annual three-day event devoted to all things glaucoma, will continue today with its New Horizons Forum. This is the “innovate” portion of the event dedicated to “celebrate, innovate, and educate” about glaucoma.

New Horizons is a full day of presentations and discussions, featuring leaders from start-up companies, industry executives, ophthalmic experts, venture capitalists, and FDA.

“If you have an idea for advancing glaucoma care, we have assembled everyone you need to turn that idea into a solution,” said Andrew Iwach, MD, one of the co-founders and co-chairpersons of Glaucoma 360. “This all-in-one-room aspect is a unique opportunity for everyone involved.”

Adrienne Graves, PhD, also a co-founder and co-chairperson of Glaucoma 360, said the event has helped foster an enormous amount of innovation since its inception eight years ago, with about 70 companies presenting at this meeting over the years.

“From drugs to minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) to diagnostics to drug-delivery devices, the field is exploding,” Dr. Graves said. “This meeting is well-positioned to help bring new ideas to fruition.”

Numerous ideas presented at New Horizons have gone on to receive funding, be acquired by strategics, and/or brought to market over the years, she added.

“Forming connections is what New Horizons is all about,” Dr. Graves said. 

Sutro Memorial Lecture

The day will start with the New Horizons opening keynote address: the Drs. Henry and Frederick Sutro Memorial Lecture. Janey L. Wiggs, MD, PhD, the Paul A. Chandler Professor of Ophthalmology, associate director of the Ocular Genomics Institute, Harvard Medical School, and the associate chief for clinical research in ophthalmology and interim director of the Glaucoma Service, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, will deliver this year’s lecture.

Dr. Wiggs’ lecture is entitled: “Glaucoma Genetics: Working Toward a Cure.”

The in-depth discussions and presentations will begin with an outlook on funding for innovation. Emmett Cunningham, Jr., MD, PhD, MPH, and Christy Shaffer, PhD, will moderate “Show Me the Money-Getting to Go in Early Stage Glaucoma Financing.”

Panelists include George A. Cioffi, MD, Columbia University Medical Center; Jane Rady, Glaukos Corp., and Tracy M. Valorie, MBA, Bausch + Lomb. Presenters include John B. Ciolino, MD, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Eye and Ear/Schepens Eye Research Institute; John Freshley, ONL Therapeutics Inc., and Ben Backus, PhD, Vivid Vision.

Another topic of discussion that is expected to draw interest among attendees is “Telemedicine: Promising Future for Glaucoma Management.” The session, moderated by Lama Al-Aswad, MD, MPH, and Felipe A. Medeiros, MD, PhD, will provide presentations from Michael F. Chiang, MD, Casey Eye Institute, Oregon Health & Science University; Alberto González García, MD, Olleyes, and Khizer Khaderi, MD, MPH, Vizzario Inc.

The next panel discussion will focus on the FDA and its role in ophthalmology, and glaucoma specifically. Reay H. Brown, MD, and Kuldev Singh, MD, MPH, will moderate “The FDA and Industry: Teamwork to Promote Innovation.”

Panelists in this session include Wiley A. Chambers, MD, deputy director, Division of Transplant & Ophthalmology Products, Center for Drug Evaluation & Research, FDA; Tieuvi Nguyen, PhD, chief, Intraocular and Corneal Transplants Branch, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, Office of Device Evaluation, FDA, and Thomas W. Samuelson, MD, Minnesota Eye Consultants and president, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery.

New Horizons sessions

The New Horizons sessions offer the latest ideas and innovation in glaucoma, covering a wide range of technologies. This year’s program covers solutions to existing glaucoma problems and some newer approaches.

One of the new clinical approaches to glaucoma is regenerative medicine. “New Horizons in Vision Restoration: Innovations in Regenerative Ophthalmology” will cover all aspects of the topic.

David J. Calkins, PhD, and Joel S. Schuman, MD, will moderate the vision restoration session. Presentations are expected from Adriana di Polo, PhD, University of Montreal; Yiqin Du, MD, PhD, University of Pittsburgh and the Louis J. Fox Center for Vision Restoration; Karl Kador, PhD, University of Missouri-Kansas City; Kenneth Mandell, MD, PhD, Neurotech Pharmaceuticals Inc., and Jeffrey L. Goldberg, MD, PhD, Byers Eye Institute, Stanford University.

Another hot topic in ophthalmology is drug delivery. Eydie G. Miller-Ellis, MD, and Devesh K. Varma, BEng, MD, FRCSC, will moderate a session on “New Horizons in Delivery and Design.”

Presenters include Michael R. Robinson, MD, Allergan; Michael Rowe, Eyenovia Inc.; L. Jay Katz, MD, Glaukos Corp.; Charles P. Semba, MD, FACC, FACR, Graybug Vision Inc.; Yaniv Barkana, MD, Eximore; Christopher Muller, Mati Therapeutics; Michael H. Goldstein, MD, MBA, Ocular Therapeutix, and Joel S. Schuman, MD, FACS, Otero Therapeutics.

The ophthalmic community is always looking for newest approaches to fighting glaucoma. “New Horizons in Devices: New Solutions to Old Problems” will offer the latest innovations in this area.

Malik Kahook, MD, and Thomas W. Samuelson, MD, will moderate the presentations. Panelists Bryan S. Lee, MD, JD, and Inder Paul Singh, MD, will add their insights to the category.

Presentations are planned from Daria Lemann-Blumenthal, BELKIN Laser Ltd.; Max Ostermeier, Implandata Ophthalmic Products GmbH; Brett A. Trauthen, Ivantis Inc.; Chris Pulling, MicroOptx; Douglas Adams, Qura Inc., and Nikos Stergiopoulos, PhD, Rheon Medical.

“New Horizons in Drugs and Drops” will look at the pharmaceutical approach to glaucoma. Robert D. Fechtner, MD, and Neeru Gupta, MD, FRCSC, PhD, will moderate the session.

Presenters include: Steve Pakola, MD, Aerpio Pharmaceuticals; Hermann Russ, MD, PhD, Galimedix Therapeutics Inc.; Brian Murphy, PhD, CEO, Nemus Bioscience Inc., and Tomas Navratil, PhD, Nicox Ophthalmics Inc.

Industry panel discussions

Industry panel discussions will round out the day’s program. Industry Panel Discussion on Glaucoma Drugs and Drops will follow the New Horizons session on the topic.

George A. Cioffi, MD, and Steven Mansberger, MD, MPH, will moderate the discussion.
Thomas A. Mitro, Aerie Pharmaceuticals Inc.; Tracy M. Valorie, MBA, Bausch + Lomb; and Ellie Chabi, MD, Santen Inc. will provide their industry viewpoints on the direction of pharmaceutical offerings in glaucoma.

Industry Panel Discussion on Glaucoma Devices will look at the latest technologies in this field. Arsham Sheybani, MD, and Inder Paul Singh, MD, will moderate.

The panel of industry experts features Ramin Valian, Allergan; Jane Rady, Glaukos Corp.; Kfir Azoulay, MBA, Heidelberg Engineering; Nicholas Tarantino, OD, Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision Inc.; Rafael Chan, New World Medical; Omar Sadruddin, MD, Santen Inc., and Angelo Rago, Carl Zeiss Meditec Inc.