OIS Podcast | Ophthalmology's leading Podcast

OIS Israel Co-Chair William J. Link, PhD, of Flying L Partners, shares some business life lessons and the unique sequence of events that led him into ophthalmology and eventually venture capital. Dr. Link also discusses the impact of COVID-19 on his portfolio companies and predictions on when and how we as an industry will come out of this. Don’t miss this highly informative and entertaining discu...

Emmett Cunningham talks with Suzana Nahum-Zilberberg about the robust innovation scene in Israel, and how she and co-chair Daphne Haim-Langford, PhD developed the idea for OIS Israel. Register for the next OIS Event at OIS.net

How does a chance experience scuba diving lead to a treatment for aggressive/progressive glaucoma? John Berdahl, MD, CEO and Founder of Equinox talks about his humble beginnings in a small town and how mentors along the way pushed him to be better than he thought he could be. Joined by his colleague Matt Larson, Equinox President and COO, they share pages directly from the Equinox playbook to talk...

Elad Kedar, CEO of Orasis Pharmaceuticals shares his strategy for successfully completing a Phase 2b clinical study in preparation of their phase 3 of CSF-1 drops for temporary correction of presbyopia. Jeff Weinhuff from Visionary Ventures joins the conversation as Chairman of the Board to explain how he evaluated the Orasis technology and what VCs look for.

For this episode of the OIS Podcast, we are sharing a panel discussion on Leadership which took place during the last OIS@AAO meeting in San Francisco. The focus of the conversation was on “How to Measure and Motivate in a Startup Environment” and featured some valuable insights from Adrienne Graves, Bernie Haffey, Ron Kurtz, Kirk Nielsen, and Andy Corley. Participants: Adrienne Graves, PhD, Indep...

In January of 2020, Tarsus raised $60 million Series B financing round to initiate Phase 2b/3 trial in the U.S. of their lead product TP-03 for Demodex blepharitis. In this episode, Bobby Azamian shares his background and path to ophthalmology, details on their clinical trials and practical advice for entrepreneurs. Interviewer: Ehsan Sadri, MD Managing Partner Visionary MD Eye Laser institute Gue...

This week’s OIS Podcast has breaking news on Robert Dempsey, the new CEO of TearClear, which came at the close of a Series B financing round. Listen to how he plans to take TearClear through the next stages of development. Interviewer: Ehsan Sadri, MD Managing Partner Visionary MD Eye Laser institute Interviewee: Robert Dempsey CEO TearClear If you are interested in being an OIS Podcast Guest or i...

In this episode of the OIS Podcast we are sharing more “best-of” content from the recent OIS@SECO. Summit Co-Chair Emmett T. Cunningham Jr., MD, PhD, MPH, engages vision industry Titans in a discussion around their latest innovations for both the Ophthalmic and Optometric markets. Participants: Glen Curran, VP, Anterior Segment Marketing, US Eye Care - Allergan John Ferris, VP & General Manage...

In this episode of the OIS Podcast we get to hear another panel discussion from the last OIS@AAO meeting in San Francisco. Emmett T. Cunningham Jr., MD, PhD, MPH, led a great discussion about Innovating Around the Globe with 2 international Venture Capitalists and 3 industry executives from Alcon, Santen and Novartis. Participants: Laurent Attias, SVP, Corporate Development Strategy, BD&L and...

In this special episode of the OIS podcast, we have a discussion that took place during the recent OIS@SECO in Atlanta. Summit Co-Chairman, Paul Karpecki, OD, FFAO, set the stage with some staggering figures which led to an insightful conversation between two ODs and two MDs about Collaborative Care models and the benefits to both patients and practices. Participants: Thomas Chester, OD, Clinical...

Emmett Cunningham talks with Suzana Nahum-Zilberberg about the robust innovation scene in Israel, and how she and co-chair Daphne Haim-Langford, PhD developed the idea for OIS Israel. Register for the next OIS Event at OIS.net

This past week OIS Podcast host, Dr. Ehsan Sadri had the opportunity to chat with J&J Vision’s newly appointed Worldwide President of Surgical, Mr. Warren Foust.  In this episode Warren describes his background leading up to this new position. He also shares his “vision” for the organization moving forward, how they plan to enhance the customer experience and challenges to addressing unmet vis...

In this episode of the OIS Podcast, Dr. Ehsan Sadri sits down with industry veteran Tom Frinzi to learn about Johnson & Johnson Vision Care’s current innovation efforts, the impact of cuts in reimbursements, growth drivers for the premium channel, and how his team is positioning the company to remain a leader in ophthalmology.  And he provides some practical career advice.

Tom Mitro of Aerie Pharmaceuticals opens up to OIS Podcast host Ehsan Sadri, MD, about the company’s key programs, including the Phase II trial of netarsudil ophthalmic solution for treatment of open-angle glaucoma.

Patrick Mooney, head of Novartis’ US eye care business, lays out Novartis’ plans following the spin-out of Alcon and bid to acquire the former Shire ophthalmology franchise from Takeda. Where does Novartis see future growth in eye care? Will ophthalmologists and optometrists see a difference? Is Novartis done acquiring products for a while? 

Avedro Inc. went public on Feb. 14, raising $70 million with its shares pricing at, coincidentally, $14. We talk with Reza Zadno, CEO and president, about the IPO process, which, as you might imagine, she says is as difficult as it looks. We’ll also talk business. Avedro, of course, is a commercial enterprise now, reporting growing sales on its Corneal Crosslinking System that can be used to treat...

Oculis CEO Riad Sherif, who once worked for Novartis and Alcon, reveals which company he’d invest in following the spin-off of the latter from the former – but mostly about the Switzerland-based start-up’s promising new pipeline for DME, post-surgery inflammation, and dry eye.

With more than $100 million raised in venture capital and three late-stage clinical programs, Oyster Point Pharma is getting a lot done in a short amount of time. In this podcast, CEO and president Jeffrey Nau reveals how the company is working so quickly and ponders what the next major milestone might be. 

After entering the ophthalmology industry “by accident,” Bernhard Günther founded Novaliq in 2004 to pursue therapeutic applications for CyclASol, a novel solution used in drug delivery. While Novaliq pursued other therapeutic applications initially, fate once again brought Günther back into ophthalmology. Today, the company is positioned to deliver two new treatments for dry eye disease. In this...

We dip into the gene therapy pool one more time, talking with Jay Duker, MD about Luxturna’s impact on ophthalmology. We also discuss how the acquisitions of Spark and Nightstar are benefiting earlier-stage gene therapy start-ups, including his own Hemera Biosciences.

Together, Roche and Biogen paid over $5.5 billion for gene therapy companies Spark and Nightstar. What does this mean for the emerging technology? Spark, of course, received FDA approval for Luxturna as a treatment for inherited retinal disease. But the drug isn’t Roche’s primary focus. Meanwhile, Nightstar’s clinical-stage products could give Biogen a second shot at a gene therapy portfolio after...

Industry leaders say optometry presents an enormous opportunity for eye care companies. Participants: Joseph Boorady, OD, FAAO , VP, Ocular Surface - Johnson & Johnson Vision Robert Dempsey , Head of Global Ophthalmics Franchise - Takeda Dave Gibson , Associate VP, Consumer Eye Care & Customer Development - Allergan Angelo Rago , Global Head, Ophthalmic Diagnostics - Carl Zeiss Meditec Cal...

We visit again with James Thimons, OD, FAA, co-chair of OIS@SECO, the newest member of the OIS family. OIS@SECO convened last week in New Orleans, drawing more than 200 optometrists, entrepreneurs, and industry members. In this interview, Dr. Thimons, clinical director of Ophthalmic Consultants of Connecticut, walks us through the day. We also ask the dry eye expert his take on the recent fund-rai...

Former Aerie CMO Brian Levy, OD, was settling down for a quieter life in Florida when he came upon OcuNexus, a biopharmaceutical company utilizing a novel mechanism of action called “Gap Junction Channel Modulation” to develop treatments for the front and back of the eye. Levy saw the opportunity to create a biopharma capable of devising new therapies inside and outside of ophthalmology.

Twenty five years ago, Michael Freeman collaborated with his father and brothers to create the first video technology that could transmit via cellular technology. As important an achievement as that might be, Freeman is developing an augmented reality device that could have an even greater impact on people who have lost their vision to Macular Degeneration. Once again, Freeman and his brothers hav...