Novaliq GmbH Names Renown International Experts To Inaugural Scientific Advisory Board

HEIDELBERG, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Novaliq GmbH, a pharmaceutical company with a disruptive drug delivery platform to transform poorly soluble drugs into effective therapeutics for ophthalmology, announced today the appointment of several renown experts to its newly formed scientific advisory board (SAB). The newly appointed SAB will strategically advise and support Novaliq as it continues to develop and bring to market innovative therapies for a broad range of ophthalmic indications, including dry eye and glaucoma.

“I am confident that their experience and background will prove to be invaluable as we move our dry eye and glaucoma drug candidates through clinical development and trials.”

The initial members of the Novaliq SAB include:

• Claus Cursiefen, M.D., Ph.D., FEBO, chairman and professor, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Germany. Prof. Cursiefen’s expertise lies in corneal lymphangiogenesis and cellular immunity in inflammatory eye diseases; corneal transplantation and ocular surface reconstruction; and, dry eye disease. A board member of DFG Neuroscience (“Fachkollegium”) and of the Cornea Section of the German Ophthalmological Society (DOG), Prof. Cursiefen is an internationally recognized speaker and has authored or co-authored more than 300 scientific publications. Prof. Cursiefen is a member of prestigious Leopoldina and Speaker of the only DFG Research Unit in Ophthalmology (www.for2240.de).
• Norbert Pfeiffer, M.D., Ph.D., chairman and director, Department of Ophthalmology, The University Hospital Mainz, Germany. Prof. Pfeiffer’s research has focused on elucidating important aspects of the diagnosis and treatment of glaucomatous disease combining both morphological and functional aspects, and introducing basic science methods into the clinical diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma. A member of several national and international societies, including the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), and the prestigious Leopoldina, Prof. Pfeiffer has authored or co-authored more than 400 scientific presentations and was awarded several scientific prizes including the Galenus von Pergamon prize.
• Michael E. Stern, Ph.D., chief scientific officer, ImmunEyez, LLC, Orange County, California. Formerly the principal scientist as well as the vice president of Inflammation Research Program at Allergan where he worked for more than 26 years, Dr. Stern’s focus has been on identifying novel mechanisms and drug targets for immune-based inflammatory diseases that affect the ocular surface. His research has been instrumental to understanding the immunopathogenesis of ocular inflammatory disease and has led to the identification of target specific therapeutics, including RESTASIS^®, the first FDA approved therapy for the treatment of dry eye disease. Dr. Stern has authored or co-authored more than 300 scientific publications and abstracts, is on the editorial board of The Ocular Surface, Journal of Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, and Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science. He has received many honors, including the Diaz Caneja Award and the International Ocular Surface Society Award.
• Kazuo Tsubota, M.D., chairman and professor of Ophthalmology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan and co-director of Health Science Laboratory, Keio University-Shonan Fujisawa Campus, Kanagawa, Japan. An expert in tear film and ocular surface disease, Prof. Tsubota is a member of several national and international societies, including AAO, ARVO, and the American Academy of Cataract & Refractive Surgery (ASCRS), TFOS, and is a founding and board member of Sjogren’s Syndrome Association and Dry Eye Research Group, both in Japan. Prof. Tsubota serves on several editorial boards, has received awards from several ophthalmic societies, and has authored or co-authored more than 700 scientific publications.

“We are pleased and honored to have four distinguished experts in cornea, dry eye and glaucoma joining Novaliq’s team of advisors,” said Bernhard Günther, managing director and CEO of Novaliq GmbH. “I am confident that their experience and background will prove to be invaluable as we move our dry eye and glaucoma drug candidates through clinical development and trials.”

About Novaliq – Novaliq GmbH, founded in 2007, is a Heidelberg based specialty pharmaceutical company focused on ophthalmology. Its mission is to transform poorly soluble drugs into effective ocular therapeutics for both the front and the back of the eye. Novaliq’s proprietary EyeSol® technology enhances the topical bio availability, stability and safety of traditionally insoluble or unstable drugs improving the delivery, efficacy and convenience of treatments for ocular surface diseases including dry eye through preservative free and multi dose formulations. Novaliq’s most advanced product is NovaTears® with CE-marking based on Novaliq’s proprietary EyeSol technology. NovaTears is marketed under the brand name EvoTears® in Europe. More on www.novaliq.com.