Technology innovation leads OIS

Take-Home

The 2013 Ophthalmology Innovation Summit will convene Nov. 14 in New Orleans. Visit www.ophthalmologysummit.com for updates or to register.
 

By Rose Schneider, Content Specialist, Ophthalmology Times

New Orleans-When the 2013 Ophthalmology Innovation Summit (OIS) convenes here Nov. 14, clinical, technology, and business attendees will hear from various speakers in an atmosphere designed to address key issues impacting the ophthalmic field.

Highlights include showcases where private companies spotlight their newest devices and technology.

The day will begin with a welcoming of attendees, the chairman’s opening remarks, and the presentation, “2013: Year in Review.” Speakers include: Emmett T. Cunningham Jr., MD, PhD, MPH, partner of Clarus Ventures; Gilbert Kliman, MD, managing director of InterWest Partners; and William J. Link, PhD, managing director of Versant Ventures.

Device showcase

Beginning at 7:45 a.m., 12 companies will present their newest devices during the Private Company Device Showcase, which will be moderated by Murthy V. Simhambhatla, PhD, senior vice president of Abbott Medical Group, and James Garvey, chairman and managing partner for SV Life Sciences.

Those companies are:

·      AcuFocus, Jim Mazzo, chairman and chief executive officer

·      AkkoLens International BV, Michiel Rombach, chief executive officer

·      Avedro, David Muller, PhD, president and chief executive officer

·      Clarity Medical, Keith Mullowney, chairman and chief executive officer

·      ClarVista Medical, Paul McLean, president and chief executive officer

·      i-Optics Corp, Jeroen Cammeraat, chief executive officer

·      Notal Vision, Barak Azmon, co-founder and chief executive officer

·      PowerVision Inc., Barry Cheskin, president and chief executive officer

·      Refocus Group Inc., Douglas Williamson, president and chief executive officer

·      Sensimed AG, Jean-Marc Wismer, chief executive officer

·      Sinopsys Surgical, Harry Ross, president

·      WaveTec Vision Systems Inc., Tom Frinzi, president and chief executive officer

Private Pharma Company Showcase

Following a short network break, 13 pharmaceutical companies will present during the Private Pharma Company Showcase at 9:50 a.m. The showcase’s moderators will be Theresa GH Heah, MD, director of brand management and global marketing ophthalmology for Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc., and Neil Levine, senior director of marketing for Regeneron Pharmaceuticals.

Presenting companies are:

·      Aerie Pharmaceuticals Inc., Vicente Anido Jr., PhD, chairman and chief executive officer

·      Allegro Ophthalmics, Vicken Karageozian, co-founder and chief technical officer

·      Amakem Therapeutics, Jack Elands, chief executive officer

·      Eleven Biotherapeutics, Abbie Celniker, chief executive officer

·      EyeGate Pharma, Stephen From, president and chief executive officer

·      iCo Therapeutics Inc., Andrew Rae, president and chief executive officer

·      Kala Pharmaceuticals, Guillaume Pfefer, president and chief executive officer

·      Novaliq GmbH, Bernhard Guenther, chief executive officer

·      Ocular Therapeutix Inc., Amarpreet Sawhney, president and chief executive officer

·      Ophthotech Corp., David Guyer, chief executive officer

·      PanOpica Inc., Paul Chaney, president and chief executive officer

·      RXi Pharmaceuticals, Geert Cauwenbergh, chief executive officer    

Mobile Ophthalmic Technology

The Mobile Ophthalmic Technology presentation will follow at 11:34 a.m. and will be moderated by Dr. Kliman.

Presenters include:

·      CheckedUp, Richard Awdeh, MD, founder and chief executive officer

·      Digisight, Mark Blumenkranz, chief executive officer

·      EyeNetra, David Schafran, co-founder and chief operating officer

·      iCheck Health Connection, Michael Brownell, chief executive officer

·      KeepYourSight, Sean Ianchulev, MD, MPH, Founder

Issue speakers

Beginning at noon, various speakers will give presentations on issues impacting ophthalmology. Those speakers are:

·      “The Ophthalmology Market-A View from the Public Sector,” Jeffrey Hoffman, managing director, head of West coast health-care investment banking for JPMorgan

·      “Private Funding and Exit Trends,” Jonathan Norris, managing director for SVB Capital

·      “U.S. vs. E.U.-A Venture Perspective,” Dr. Link.

OIS Innovator Award

The keynote presentation at 12:55 p.m., “A View From the Top-Innovation in Ophthalmology,” given by Paul Parke, MD, executive director of American Academy of Ophthalmology, will precede the announcement of the OIS Innovator Award recipient.

Ophthalmic Innovation 2013

During the Ophthalmic Innovation 2013 portion of the day, which begins at 2 p.m., Paul Sieving, MD, director of the National Eye Institute, will give the presentation, “A View from the NEI.” Dr. Parke will follow with his presentation, “A View from the AAO.”

Panel discussions

Following a session dedicated to discussing how to develop an effective dialogue with the FDA, several panel discussions will be held.

Those panels are:

·      Alternate Financing Strategies: Dr. Link will moderate; Luke Duster, principal of Capital Royalty, will be on the discussion panel.

·      E.U. Commercialization Strategies: Dr. Kliman will moderate. Discussion panel members are Laurent Atias, head of global commercial strategy at Alcon Laboratories; Muller; David Pyott, chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer of Allergan;Mazzo, chairman of AcuFocus and operating partner for Versant Ventures; and Andy Corely, venture partner with Versant Ventures.

·      Physician Entrepreneurship in Ophthalmology: Richard L. Lindstrom, MD, founder and attending surgeon at Minnesota Eye Consultants, will moderate. Discussion panel members are Mark S. Blumenkranz, MD, professor and chairman of the department of ophthalmology at Stanford University; Eugene de Juan, MD, partner at One Focus Ventures and chair of ophthalmology at University of California San Francisco; David L. Epstein, MD, MMM, chairman of the department of Ophthalmology at Duke Eye Center; Steve Charles, chief executive officer at CamPlex; and Daniel Durrie, MD, president of Durrie Vision.

·      Going Public-Who, When, and Why: David R. Guer, MD, chief executive officer of Ophthotech Corp. will moderate. Discussion panel members are Hoffman; Dan Myers, co-founder, president and chief executive officer of Alimera Sciences; Nick Galakatos, PhD, managing director of Clarus Ventures; David Redlick, partner and co-chair of the life sciences group for WilmerHale; and Chris Cooley, CFA, managing director of Stephens Inc.

Closing

OIS will conclude with wrap-up and closing comments by Dr. Cunningham Jr., Dr. Kliman, and Dr. Link at 5:30 p.m. A cocktail reception will follow.