Companies appoint new leadership across the industry

(Image credit: AdobeStock/peshkova)

With the start of 2025, many companies have evaluated the skills and depth of their team as they prepare for the advances and changes that are to come. This has led to the appointments of several new executives in the pharmaceutical industry.

The following updates are listed in alphabetical order by company and not a comprehensive list of announcements.

EyePoint Pharmaceuticals

EyePoint has added Reginald J. Sanders, MD, FASRS, to its Board of Directors. In the company’s press release¹ on this news, Göran Ando, MD, Chair of the Board of Directors of EyePoint spoke to this decision, saying, “I am pleased to welcome Dr Sanders to EyePoint’s Board. Scientific and medical leadership underpin our mission to develop innovative therapeutics for patients with serious retinal diseases, and as a prominent leader in the retina community, Dr Sanders will be an invaluable addition to our Board. With our global phase 3 pivotal trials for wet AMD underway and the recent positive interim data for our Phase 2 trial in diabetic macular edema, Dr Sanders’ unparalleled clinical experience and unique experience of business development in the retina space will be critical as we continue to execute across our pipeline.”

Eyenuk

Eyenuk has appointed Mads Dall as Chairman of the Board and Gaurav Agarwal as Chief Executive Officer.

According to the press release,² Dall brings extensive global experience from executive positions in private and listed companies within the pharmaceutical and MedTech industries. He currently serves as independent director on the board of Adocia, a French biotech company, and has previously been a director of several private companies in the US and Europe, including Eyenuk, where he was an independent director until 2019.

Agarwal was previously the Head of Product and Customer Success at Eyenuk and a member of the leadership team since 2023. His contributions in that role were pivotal in driving the company's strategic vision forward with a sharp focus on operational excellence. Agarwal has over two decades of experience building innovative products and scaling teams at multiple successful technology companies.²

Harrow

Amir H. Shojaei, PharmD, PhD, has joined Harrow as Chief Scientific Officer (CSO). Shojaei succeeds Dennis E. Saadeh, PharmD, who is retiring after nearly a decade of service to Harrow, including his most recent role as CSO.

In the announcement of this change, the company shared that Shojaei most recently served as CSO and Executive Vice President of Clinical Development at AsclepiX Therapeutics, where he spearheaded the development of innovative therapies for neovascular retinal disorders. Prior to that, he held senior executive roles at leading pharmaceutical companies, including CEO of TherOptix Corporation, where he advanced a novel drug-eluting contact lens platform, and in various leadership roles at Novartis Pharmaceuticals and Shire Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Takeda).³

ONL Therapeutics

Penny Fleck has been appointed chief development officer for ONL Therapeutics, Inc. According to the press release, in this role, Fleck will be responsible for all development activities for the company’s lead asset, ONL1204 Ophthalmic Solution. She joins ONL with more than 20 years of experience leading research and development (R&D) strategies at Fortune 500 pharmaceutical companies, building best-in class cross-functional teams and leading drug development from new molecular entity through global approval.⁴

Tarsier Pharma

In a press release, Tarsier Pharma, Ltd. announced the appointment of Ashley Kline as Chief Commercial Officer, a role that she will hold on a fractional basis as the company completes its late-stage clinical trials.

Daphne Haim-Langford, PhD, founder and CEO of Tarsier in quoted on this news as saying, "We are thrilled to welcome Ashley Kline as our Chief Commercial Officer at this pivotal moment in our company's growth. Ashley brings a wealth of experience in bringing novel therapies to market and building and scaling commercial teams in the US Her leadership during the recent launch of Oxervate at Dompé, along with her proven success in marketing and commercializing innovative therapies, will be invaluable as we prepare to build our commercial franchises in uveitis, followed by other blinding conditions in the future."⁵

Topcon Healthcare

Christian Odaker, PhD, has been appointed to the role of Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for Topcon Healthcare, Inc. According to the company, Odaker will focus on accelerating the development of new applications and software solutions for the Topcon Harmony digital health platform. He will ensure the Harmony platform is aligned with the evolving needs of the connected care ecosystem, which is fundamental to Healthcare from the Eye. He will also focus on building strategic alliances that enhance Topcon Healthcare’s platform value, expand market reach, and unlock new growth opportunities.⁶

UNITY Biotechnology

UNITY Biotechnology has announced the appointment of Federico Grossi, MD, PhD, as chief medical officer. Grossi brings a wealth of experience in clinical development and regulatory strategy in ophthalmology and other indications, most recently having led the development of SYFOVRE for geographic atrophy as chief medical officer at Apellis Pharmaceuticals.⁷

References:

1. EyePoint Appoints Renowned Retina Specialist and Industry Pioneer Reginald J. Sanders, M.D., FASRS to Board of Directors. January 8, 2025. Accessed January 10, 2025. https://investors.eyepointpharma.com/news-releases/news-release-details/eyepoint-appoints-renowned-retina-specialist-and-industry

2. Eyenuk Appoints Mads Dall as Chairman of the Board and Gaurav Agarwal as Chief Executive Officer. January 6, 2025. Accessed January 10, 2025. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/01/06/3004526/0/en/Eyenuk-Appoints-Mads-Dall-as-Chairman-of-the-Board-and-Gaurav-Agarwal-as-Chief-Executive-Officer.html

3. Harrow Appoints Amir H. Shojaei as Chief Scientific Officer. Harrow. January 7, 2025. Accessed January 10, 2025. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250107043710/en/Harrow-Appoints-Amir-H.-Shojaei-as-Chief-Scientific-Officer

4. ONL Therapeutics Appoints Penny Fleck as Chief Development Officer. ONL Therapeutics, Inc. January 7, 2025. Accessed January 10, 2025. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/01/07/3005245/0/en/ONL-Therapeutics-Appoints-Penny-Fleck-as-Chief-Development-Officer.html

5. Tarsier Pharma Appoints Ashley Kline as Chief Commercial Officer, Expanding Its U.S. Presence. Tarsier Pharma, Ltd. January 7, 2025. Accessed January 10, 2025. https://www.morningstar.com/news/pr-newswire/20250107ln89510/tarsier-pharma-appoints-ashley-kline-as-chief-commercial-officer-expanding-its-us-presence

6. Topcon Healthcare Appoints Christian Odaker as Chief Technology Officer. Topcon Healthcare, Inc. January 6, 2025. Accessed January 10, 2025. https://topconhealthcare.com/article/topcon-healthcare-appoints-christian-odaker-as-chief-technology-officer/

7. UNITY Biotechnology Announces Appointment of Federico Grossi, M.D., Ph.D., as Chief Medical Officer. UNITY Biotechnology, Inc. January 6, 2025. Accessed January 10, 2025. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/01/06/3004540/0/en/UNITY-Biotechnology-Announces-Appointment-of-Federico-Grossi-M-D-Ph-D-as-Chief-Medical-Officer.html