DURHAM, N.C.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:AERI), an ophthalmic pharmaceutical
company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of
first-in-class therapies for the treatment of patients with open-angle
glaucoma, retinal diseases and other diseases of the eye today announced
the appointment of David Ellis, Ph.D., as Director, Chemistry, reporting
to Mitchell deLong, Ph.D., Aerie’s Vice President of Chemistry. Dr.
Ellis will be responsible for advancing the Company’s creation and
optimization of new chemical entities to support the growth and
advancement of Aerie’s pipeline. Dr. Ellis most recently held a related
position at Novartis. Aerie also announced the appointments of Angela
Justice as Western Regional Director, Medical Science Liaison and Brian
Sakurada, PharmD, Director, Scientific Market Access, both reporting to
Welyn Bui, PharmD, Aerie’s Vice President of Medical Affairs. Ms.
Justice will be responsible for leading a regional team of Medical
Science Liaisons engaged in developing relationships with medical
experts in the field of glaucoma to ensure a fair and balanced exchange
of scientific, clinical and medical information. Ms. Justice most
recently held a related position at Sun Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Sakurada
will be responsible for further developing the medical affairs strategy
including delivery of evidence-based scientific information and
outcome-based information to national and regional payer accounts. Dr.
Sakurada most recently held a related position at Intarcia Therapeutics.
Aerie also announced the appointment of Karisma Sharma as Vice
President, Human Resources, reporting to Kathy McGinley, Aerie’s Vice
President of Human Resources and Corporate Services. Ms. Sharma will be
responsible for leading the strategic human resources effort to recruit,
develop and retain employees in the United States. Ms. Sharma previously
held related positions in both healthcare and technology companies.
In connection with their acceptance of their positions, Dr. Ellis, Ms.
Justice, Dr. Sakurada and Ms. Sharma will receive combined awards
totaling 87,260 stock options and 2,000 shares of restricted stock. The
stock options will vest over 4 years, with 25% vesting on the first
anniversary of the hire date and the remainder vesting ratably on each
of the subsequent 36 monthly anniversaries of the hire date; the
restricted stock will vest over a period of 4 years in four equal annual
installments on each anniversary of the hire date. This award was made
outside of Aerie’s stockholder-approved equity incentive plan and was
approved by the Company’s independent directors as inducements material
to Dr. Ellis, Ms. Justice, Dr. Sakurada and Ms. Sharma entering into
employment with the Company in reliance on NASDAQ Listing Rule
5635(c)(4), which requires this public announcement.
About Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Aerie is an ophthalmic pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery,
development and commercialization of first-in-class therapies for the
treatment of patients with open-angle glaucoma, retinal diseases and
other diseases of the eye. Aerie’s first product, Rhopressa®(netarsudil
ophthalmic solution) 0.02%, a once-daily eyedrop approved by the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the reduction of elevated
intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma or
ocular hypertension, was launched in the United States in April 2018. In
clinical trials of Rhopressa®, the most common adverse
reactions were conjunctival hyperemia, corneal verticillata,
instillation site pain, and conjunctival hemorrhage. More information
about Rhopressa®, including the product label, is available
at www.rhopressa.com.
Aerie’s second product for the reduction of elevated intraocular
pressure (IOP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular
hypertension, Rocklatan™ (netarsudil and latanoprost
ophthalmic solution) 0.02%/0.005%, the first and only fixed-dose
combination of Rhopressa® and the
widely-prescribed PGA (prostaglandin analog) latanoprost, has been
approved by the FDA and is expected to be launched in the United States
in the second quarter of 2019. In clinical trials of Rocklatan™, the
most common adverse reactions were conjunctival hyperemia, corneal
verticillata, instillation site pain, and conjunctival hemorrhage. More
information about Rocklatan™, including the
product label, is available at www.rocklatan.com.
Aerie continues to focus on global expansion and the development of
additional product candidates and technologies in ophthalmology,
including for wet age-related macular degeneration and diabetic macular
edema. More information is available at www.aeriepharma.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements for purposes of
the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995. We may, in some cases, use terms such as “predicts,”
“believes,” “potential,” “proposed,” “continue,” “estimates,”
“anticipates,” “expects,” “plans,” “intends,” “may,” “could,” “might,”
“will,” “should,” “exploring,” “pursuing” or other words that convey
uncertainty of future events or outcomes to identify these
forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include
statements regarding our intentions, beliefs, projections, outlook,
analyses or current expectations concerning, among other things: our
expectations regarding the commercialization and manufacturing of
Rhopressa® and Rocklatan™ or any future product candidates,
including the timing, cost or other aspects of the commercial launch of
Rhopressa® and Rocklatan™ or any future product candidates;
our commercialization, marketing, manufacturing and supply management
capabilities and strategies; the success, timing and cost of our ongoing
and anticipated preclinical studies and clinical trials for Rhopressa®
and Rocklatan™, with respect to regulatory approval outside of the
United States or additional indications, and any future product
candidates, including statements regarding the timing of initiation and
completion of the studies and trials; the timing of and our ability to
request, obtain and maintain FDA or other regulatory authority approval
of, or other action with respect to, as applicable, Rhopressa®,
Rocklatan™ or any future product candidates, including the expected
timing of, and timing of regulatory and/or other review of, filings for,
as applicable, Rhopressa®, Rocklatan™ or any future product
candidates; the potential advantages of Rhopressa® and
Rocklatan™ or any future product candidates; our plans to pursue
development of additional product candidates and technologies within and
beyond ophthalmology; our plans to explore possible uses of our existing
proprietary compounds beyond glaucoma, including development of our
retina program; our ability to protect our proprietary technology and
enforce our intellectual property rights; and our expectations regarding
strategic operations, including our ability to in-license or acquire
additional ophthalmic products, product candidates or technologies. By
their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties
because they relate to events, competitive dynamics, industry change and
other factors beyond our control, and depend on regulatory approvals and
economic and other environmental circumstances that may or may not occur
in the future or may occur on longer or shorter timelines than
anticipated. We discuss many of these risks in greater detail under the
heading “Risk Factors” in the quarterly and annual reports that we file
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). In particular, FDA
approval of Rhopressa® and Rocklatan™ do not constitute FDA
approval of AR-1105, AR-13503 or any future product candidates, and
there can be no assurance that we will receive FDA approval for AR-1105,
AR-13503 or any future product candidates. FDA approval of Rhopressa®
and Rocklatan™ also do not constitute regulatory approval of Rhopressa®
and Rocklatan™ in jurisdictions outside the United States and there can
be no assurance that we will receive regulatory approval for Rhopressa®
and Rocklatan™ in jurisdictions outside the United States.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and
our actual results of operations, financial condition and liquidity, and
the development of the industry in which we operate may differ
materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this press
release. Any forward-looking statements that we make in this press
release speak only as of the date of this press release. We assume no
obligation to update our forward-looking statements whether as a result
of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this
press release.
Contacts
Media: Tad Heitmann 949-526-8747; theitmann@aeriepharma.com
Investors:
Ami Bavishi 908-947-3949; abavishi@aeriepharma.com