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SAN DIEGO—Leo Lens Pharma (formerly Leo Lens Technology Co. Inc.), an emerging pharmaceutical company focused on helping protect sight, said it has appointed Dan Myers as chief executive officer. Leo Lens Pharma has developed the MediPrint process, a proprietary printing technology that allows for the sustained, continuous release of ophthalmic drugs via contact lenses. "Our founding team is thrilled that Dan is joining Leo Lens," founder and chief technology officer Praful Doshi said in the announcement.

"His proven track record of developing and commercializing novel ophthalmic pharmaceutical products and fundraising in the private and public markets will allow us to expedite our plan to bring our unique glaucoma therapy to patients and eyecare professionals. I could think of no one better to help us protect sight for millions of patients suffering from the effects of glaucoma."

Prior to joining Leo Lens, Myers was the co-founder and chief executive officer of Alimera Sciences, where he continues to serve as chairman of the board of directors. Before founding Alimera, he was a founding employee of Novartis Ophthalmics (formerly CIBA Vision Ophthalmics) and served as its president from 1997 to 2003.

Myers has over 35 years of ophthalmic pharmaceutical experience, including over 21 years in the role of president or chief executive officer.

Leo Lens’ lead proprietary asset is a lens to treat glaucoma, which affects over 80 million people worldwide. This lens is manufactured with the MediPrint process, which allows for the continuous delivery of FDA approved bimatoprost for seven days.

Leo Lens has already had a successful pre-IND meeting with the FDA to confirm its relatively expedient regulatory strategy and will be submitting an IND for the glaucoma product in mid 2020, according to its announcement.

"I’m excited and honored to be joining Leo Lens at such a pivotal time in its progression," Myers said. “Our enterprise is poised to address the significant unmet need in glaucoma treatment by successfully advancing the development of our proprietary MediPrint process. We are currently building a proven pharmaceutical and ophthalmic management team to execute on this strategy and to create what I believe will be a very successful company.”