Ocugen adds retina experts to advisory board, names new executives

Ocugen Inc. (NASDAQ: OCGN) announced appointments to its Retina Scientific Advisory Board and executive leadership team as the biotechnology company advances gene therapy programs for blindness diseases.

The company added three retinal surgeons to its advisory board: Jeffrey S. Heier, director of vitreoretinal service at Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston; Peter K Kaiser, chair in ophthalmology research at Cleveland Clinic's Cole Eye Institute; and Arshad M. Khanani, managing partner at Sierra Eye Associates and clinical professor at University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine.

The new advisory board members join existing board chair Lejla Vajzovic from Duke University Eye Center and current members David S. Boyer from Retina-Vitreous Associates Medical Group and Carl D. Regillo from Wills Eye Hospital.

Ocugen named Vijay Tammara as chief development officer, a newly created position. Tammara brings over 32 years of regulatory experience and has contributed to nine marketing authorizations for biologics license applications and new drug applications. He previously held senior roles at the FDA and companies including Sanofi, Wyeth/Pfizer, and Merck.

The company also appointed Abhi Gupta as executive vice president of commercial and business development, replacing retiring Mike Shine. Gupta has more than 20 years of experience in commercial strategy and gene therapy, including previous roles at Pfizer where he helped build a $5.5 billion gene therapy portfolio.

Ocugen develops modifier gene therapies for inherited retinal diseases including retinitis pigmentosa, Stargardt disease, and geographic atrophy. The company stated it aims to submit three biologics license applications within the next three years.

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