Industry Insider

Describe your role at Bausch + Lomb.

I am the Vice President and General Manager of US Pharmaceuticals. My role is to oversee the growth of the pharmaceutical business, which includes 18 commercial products across a wide variety of ophthalmic conditions and disease states.

What are the most common questions you get about perfluorohexyloctane ophthalmic solution (Miebo) and lifitegrast ophthalmic solution 5% (Xiidra)?

The most common question we get around Miebo and Xiidra is, “How are these two brands different, and when should I prescribe one versus the other?”

While both of these therapies are indicated to treat the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease, they target different underlying causes of dry eye. We know that dry eye disease is multifactorial, so when considering treatment options, it’s important to address the main driver of dry eye for each individual patient.

Miebo directly targets tear evaporation for those with evaporative dry eye, while Xiidra addresses inflammation as the root cause of dry eye.

What is Bausch + Lomb doing to support optometrists?

We are committed to supporting eye care professionals and provide a variety of tools, programs, and resources to promote better vision care. For example, we recently launched a new Technician Training Program to help technicians in our offices better understand the disease state, our products, and how to navigate both the access and reimbursement landscape as well as Bausch + Lomb’s access tool.

Are there any company updates you can share?

Yes, we recently acquired Whitecap Biosciences, which is developing two innovative therapies for potential use in glaucoma and geographic atrophy. These two investigational medicines show real promise when it comes to slowing vision loss and the potential to improve vision for patients with glaucoma. This acquisition strengthens Bausch + Lomb’s expanding clinical-stage pipeline.

What piece of advice has helped your career the most?

To always listen and seek deep understanding of people, customer, and patient need. For any initiative to be successful, it must be built on real insights, based on the voices of customers. Too many programs fail because they are based on our needs, rather than on the needs of those we serve!