Orasis Pharmaceuticals Appoints Industry Veteran Paul Smith as President and Chief Operating Officer

Orasis Pharmaceuticals announced the appointment of Paul Smith as president and chief operating officer (COO). Mr. Smith brings over two decades of leadership in eye care.

“I am excited to join Orasis Pharmaceuticals at such a pivotal time in the company’s history,” Mr. Smith said in a company news release. “Orasis is one of the pioneers in the pharmacologic treatment of ophthalmic disorders, beginning with our focus on the temporary correction of presbyopia and the advancement of our phase 3 program. It is a privilege to join the team as we build for the future with leaders in the eye care community to provide an alternative that positively impacts the quality of life for people with presbyopia.”

Elad Kedar, chief executive officer of Orasis, added, “We are pleased to have Paul join the Orasis team at such a critical juncture for the company, with phase 3 enrollment underway and pre-commercialization efforts in motion. We are confident that his extensive ophthalmic leadership will accelerate and scale a strong U.S. presence, positioning us to be a front-runner in presbyopia.”

Prior to joining Orasis, Mr. Smith was the vice president and business unit head for U.S. Eye Care pharmaceutical portfolio at Novartis, with responsibilities across sales, marketing, operations and market development. Previously, he served as executive vice president of global commercial operations for TearLab, after spending 12 years at Alcon in leadership roles in the pharmaceutical, consumer, and medical device business units. Mr. Smith brings extensive global ophthalmic experience leading teams, building brands and commercializing products. Mr. Smith earned his B.A. from the University of Central Florida and an MBA from the University of Florida.