CXL Ophthalmics Appoints Jonathan H. Talamo, MD, to its Board of Managers
CXL Ophthalmics announced the appointment of Jonathan H. Talamo, MD, to its Board of Managers.
Dr. Talamo was most recently Chief Medical Officer and Worldwide Vice President of Clinical and Medical Affairs at Johnson and Johnson Vision. While at Johnson and Johnson Vision, Dr. Talamo helped lead the integration of Abbott Medical Optics as well as the development and launch of numerous innovative products. Prior to his work at Johnson and Johnson, Dr. Talamo served as Chief Medical Officer at Ocular Therapeutix, where he played an important role in the development of Dextenza (extended release dexamethasone ophthalmic insert) and many other R&D pipeline programs.
“Dr. Talamo brings a unique combination of leadership, technical expertise and global strategic experience, having spent decades as a practicing ophthalmic surgeon and thought leader in the field followed by senior executive roles in some of the industry’s most innovative and commercially successful companies,” Michael Webb, Chief Executive Officer of CXL Ophthalmics, said in a company news release. “His track record of execution in leading and growing companies, both globally diversified and innovative early-stage players, will be vital as we complete development of our lead technology, EpiSmart, and bring it to market. We are delighted to welcome Dr. Talamo to the CXL Ophthalmics team and look forward to the insight he will provide to our Board of Managers.”
“I am excited to be joining the Board of Managers as CXL Ophthalmics prepares to enter late-stage clinical development of EpiSmart and advances towards becoming a commercial-stage company,” said Dr. Talamo. “I believe that EpiSmart has the potential to positively impact the lives of millions of people living with keratoconus and look forward to leveraging my experience to help guide the management team.”
“Jon is a passionate, global-minded leader in ophthalmology with intimate knowledge of our technology and the medical need it addresses,” said Dr. Roy Rubinfeld, the founder and Chief Scientific Officer of CXL Ophthalmics. “We are thrilled to welcome such a outstanding industry leader to our Board of Managers.”
The patented EpiSmart system is designed to optimize cross-linking therapy for keratoconus, allowing minimally-invasive treatment via simultaneous bilateral application of UV light without the need for surgical removal of the corneal epithelium. The safety and efficacy of EpiSmart was investigated in a large, recently concluded phase 2 trial, and CXL Ophthalmics is preparing to initiate phase 3 clinical trials for the treatment of keratoconus with EpiSmart.