Ocuphire Pharma Names Joseph Schachle as COO

Ocuphire Pharma announced the appointment of Joseph (Joe) K. Schachle, MBA, into the newly created role of Chief Operating Officer, effective immediately. Ocuphire is a clinical-stage company focused on developing and commercializing small-molecule therapies for the treatment of retinal and refractive eye disorders. 

“Joe is a highly accomplished pharmaceutical executive, and we are thrilled to welcome him to Ocuphire as Chief Operating Officer,” commented Ocuphire CEO George Magrath, MD, in the company’s press release. “His appointment is part of a broader strategic initiative to expand our senior team as we plan for advancement of our lead retina asset, APX3330, into registrational studies and prepare the company for success.” 

Dr. Magrath continued, “Joe brings diverse experience, including in ophthalmology, from some of the world’s leading life science companies. He has held senior roles across multiple functional areas including operations, sales, and marketing. He has a strong track record in creating strategic alignment and propelling execution across different organizational structures, experience that will be valuable to Ocuphire’s ongoing and future initiatives.”

Mr. Schachle stated, “Joining Ocuphire at this transformational stage as the company pioneers the development of an oral therapy for diabetic retinopathy is an exciting new chapter in my career. I am very pleased to lead operations at a company that is committed to improving standards of eye care. I am eager to collaborate with my new colleagues as we prepare Ocuphire for the next stage of growth.”

According to the company, Mr. Schachle was most recently Chief Operating Officer of Opus Genetics, a gene therapy company focused on rare, inherited retinal diseases. In this role, he managed multiple corporate functions including human resources, finance, legal, investor relations, facilities, information technology, and commercial.

Previously, he held senior positions at Grifols, including Head of Global Marketing Operations and Vice President of Customer Experience Enablement. He served as Chief Operating Officer at Parion Sciences. Also, he was with Inspire Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Merck in 2011), MedImmune, and GSK. Mr. Schachle received an MBA from Old Dominion University in Norfol, Virginia, and a BBA in Marketing from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.