– USA, NJ/CA – Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:AERI), a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of first-in-class glaucoma therapies, announced today that Benjamin F. McGraw, III, Pharm.D., has been elected to the Company’s Board of Directors and as a member of the Audit Committee, effective September 30, 2014. Dr. McGraw brings more than 30 years of experience in the life sciences, responsible for advancing breakthrough technologies and numerous development-stage programs through commercialization.
“Ben brings a wealth of leadership experience in senior positions at leading pharmaceutical and biotech companies, and we are excited to have him join the team,” said Vicente Anido, Jr., Ph.D., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Aerie. “His diverse knowledge of the biopharma and specialty pharmaceutical sectors and his successful track record in business development, operations and commercial strategy ensure that he will have a critical voice in his role on the Aerie Board.”
Dr. McGraw is currently Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of TheraVida, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company. He also serves as Managing Member and portfolio manager for Long Shadows Asset Management, LLC, a registered investment advisory firm, and as Chief Executive Officer of Auration Biotech, Inc., a private biotechnology company. Previously, Dr. McGraw was Chairman, President, and CEO of Valentis, Inc., Corporate Vice President, Corporate Development at Allergan, Inc., and VP, Development at Marion Laboratories, Inc. and Marion Merrell Dow Inc. (now Sanofi US). Dr. McGraw received his B.S. degree and his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, where he also completed a clinical practice residency.
“Aerie’s lead products, RhopressaTM and RoclatanTM, have a novel mechanism of action and the potential to offer enhanced value over current therapies for the treatment of glaucoma. I look forward to the progress of these products and of the evolution of the Company into a leading position in the ophthalmic pharmaceutical industry,” said Dr. McGraw.
About Aerie Pharmaceuticals
Aerie is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of first-in-class glaucoma therapies. The Company has commenced two Phase 3 registration trials in the United States for triple-action RhopressaTM, named “Rocket 1” and “Rocket 2,” where the primary efficacy endpoint will be to demonstrate non-inferiority of IOP lowering for RhopressaTM compared to timolol, and has now commenced a third Phase 3 safety trial, named “Rocket 3,” in Canada.
The Company also recently completed a Phase 2b clinical trial for quadruple-action RoclatanTM, which met the primary efficacy endpoint, demonstrating statistical superiority of RoclatanTM to each of its components. RoclatanTM is a fixed-dose combination of RhopressaTM with latanoprost, the market-leading PGA, and if approved has the potential to be the most efficacious IOP-lowering therapy.
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