Kala Pharmaceuticals Announces Appointment of C. Daniel Myers to Board of Directors

Rhea-AI Summary

Kala Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: KALA) has appointed C. Daniel Myers to its Board of Directors as a Class III director. With over 35 years in ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, Myers will contribute to the Compensation and Nominating Committees. CEO Mark Iwicki expressed optimism about Myers' extensive background, emphasizing its potential to enhance Kala's commercial strategies, particularly for its products EYSUVIS and INVELTYS. Concurrently, Rajeev Shah will step down from the Board after significant contributions since 2015, marking a leadership transition for the company.

Positive

• C. Daniel Myers brings over 35 years of ophthalmic pharmaceutical experience, which could enhance Kala's strategic direction.
• Myers' experience may provide fresh insights into the commercial strategies for EYSUVIS and INVELTYS.

Negative

• Rajeev Shah's departure raises potential concerns about continuity and experience on the board.

WATERTOWN, Mass., Oct. 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kala Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:KALA), a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative therapies for diseases of the eye, today announced the appointment of C. Daniel Myers to its Board of Directors. Mr. Myers, who has more than 35 years of ophthalmic pharmaceutical experience, will serve as a Class III director, and join both the Compensation and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committees.

“We are very pleased to welcome Dan to our Board of Directors,” said Mark Iwicki, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Kala Pharmaceuticals. “Dan has an extensive background in ophthalmology and his commercial and significant corporate strategy experience will be instrumental as we execute on our vision of delivering new therapies for people living with ocular disease. We look forward to his insights on our commercial products EYSUVIS^® and INVELTYS^®, as well as with his guidance more broadly as we pursue our goal of establishing Kala as a leader in the treatment of eye diseases.”

“I am excited to support Kala in its efforts to change the treatment paradigm for ocular diseases and am particularly enthusiastic about the opportunity for EYSUVIS to meaningfully improve the care of people living with dry eye disease,” said Mr. Myers, “I look forward to collaborating with the management team and the other members of Kala’s Board, and to offering my perspective on strategic initiatives including the expansion of Kala’s pipeline.”

Mr. Myers is currently the Chief Executive Officer of MediPrint Ophthalmics, Inc. (formerly Leo Lens Pharma), a position he has held since 2020. Prior to that he was the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Alimera Sciences, where he continues to serve as Non-Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors. Before founding Alimera, Mr. Myers was a founding employee of Novartis Ophthalmics (formerly CIBA Vision Ophthalmics) and served as President from 1997 to 2003 and as Vice President of Sales and Marketing from 1991 to 1997. He previously served on the Board of Directors of Ocular Therapeutix, Inc. from 2009 to 2012. Mr. Myers holds a B.S. in Industrial Management from Georgia Institute of Technology.

In conjunction with Mr. Myers’ appointment, Kala announced that Rajeev Shah, a member of the company’s Board of Directors since 2015, will be leaving the Board.

“We are sincerely thankful to Rajeev for his many contributions, which have been instrumental in enabling Kala to mature from a private, clinical-stage company into a publicly traded commercial organization,” continued Mr. Iwicki. “Rajeev has been a great partner and made significant contributions to Kala’s evolution. We wish him the best in his future endeavors.”

About EYSUVIS:
EYSUVIS (loteprednol etabonate ophthalmic suspension) 0.25% is approved for the short-term (up to two weeks) treatment of the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease. EYSUVIS utilizes Kala's AMPPLIFY^® mucus-penetrating particle (MPP) Drug Delivery Technology to enhance penetration of loteprednol etabonate (LE) into target tissue of the ocular surface. In preclinical studies, the AMPPLIFY Drug Delivery Technology increased delivery of LE into target ocular tissues more than three-fold compared to an active LE comparator by facilitating penetration through the tear film mucins. EYSUVIS was approved by the FDA on October 26, 2020. Kala believes that EYSUVIS' broad mechanism of action, rapid onset of relief of both signs and symptoms, favorable tolerability and safety profile and the potential to be complementary to existing therapies, offer a differentiated product profile for the short-term treatment of dry eye disease, including the management of dry eye flares.

EYSUVIS, as with other ophthalmic corticosteroids, is contraindicated in most viral diseases of the cornea and conjunctiva including epithelial herpes simplex keratitis (dendritic keratitis), vaccinia, and varicella, and also in mycobacterial infection of the eye and fungal diseases of ocular structures. The initial prescription and each renewal of the medication order should be made by a physician only after examination of the patient with the aid of magnification, such as slit lamp biomicroscopy, and, where appropriate, fluorescein staining. Prolonged use of corticosteroids may result in glaucoma with damage to the optic nerve, as well as defects in visual acuity and fields of vision. Corticosteroids should be used with caution in the presence of glaucoma. Renewal of the medication order should be made by a physician only after examination of the patient and evaluation of the IOP. Use of corticosteroids may result in posterior subcapsular cataract formation. Use of corticosteroids may suppress the host response and thus increase the hazard of secondary ocular infections. In acute purulent conditions, corticosteroids may mask infection or enhance existing infection. Use of a corticosteroid medication in the treatment of patients with a history of herpes simplex requires great caution. Use of ocular corticosteroids may prolong the course and may exacerbate the severity of many viral infections of the eye (including herpes simplex). Fungal infections of the cornea are particularly prone to develop coincidentally with long-term local corticosteroid application. Fungus invasion must be considered in any persistent corneal ulceration where a corticosteroid has been used or is in use. The most common adverse drug reaction following the use of EYSUVIS for two weeks was instillation site pain, which was reported in 5% of patients.

Please see full Prescribing Information at www.eysuvis.com

About INVELTYS:
INVELTYS (loteprednol etabonate ophthalmic suspension) 1% is a twice-a-day corticosteroid for the treatment of post-operative inflammation and pain following ocular surgery. INVELTYS utilizes Kala’s proprietary AMPPLIFY mucus-penetrating particle (MPP) Drug Delivery Technology to enhance penetration of loteprednol etabonate (LE) into target tissues of the eye. In preclinical studies, the AMPPLIFY Drug Delivery Technology increased delivery of LE into target ocular tissues more than three-fold compared to an active LE comparator by facilitating penetration through the tear film mucins. INVELTYS was approved by the FDA on August 22, 2018. Kala believes INVELTYS has a favorable profile for the treatment of inflammation and pain following ocular surgery, due to its twice-a-day dosing regimen.

INVELTYS, as with other ophthalmic corticosteroids, is contraindicated in most viral diseases of the cornea and conjunctiva including epithelial herpes simplex keratitis (dendritic keratitis), vaccinia, and varicella, and also in mycobacterial infection of the eye and fungal diseases of ocular structures. A prolonged use of corticosteroids may result in glaucoma with damage to the optic nerve, defects in visual acuity and fields of vision. If this product is used for 10 days or longer, IOP should be monitored. Use of corticosteroids may result in posterior subcapsular cataract formation. Use of steroids after cataract surgery may delay healing and increase the incidence of bleb formation. In those diseases causing thinning of the cornea or sclera, perforations have been known to occur with the use of topical steroids. The initial prescription and renewal of the medication order should be made by a physician only after examination of the patient with the aid of magnification such as slit lamp biomicroscopy and, where appropriate, fluorescein staining. Prolonged use of corticosteroids may suppress the host response and thus increase the hazard of secondary ocular infections. In acute purulent conditions, steroids may mask infection or enhance existing infection. Use of a corticosteroid medication in the treatment of patients with a history of herpes simplex requires great caution. Use of ocular steroids may prolong the course and may exacerbate the severity of many viral infections of the eye (including herpes simplex). Fungal infections of the cornea are particularly prone to develop coincidentally with long-term local steroid application. Fungus invasion must be considered in any persistent corneal ulceration where a steroid has been used or is in use. In clinical trials, the most common adverse drug reactions were eye pain (1%) and posterior capsular opacification (1%). These reactions may have been the consequence of the surgical procedure.

Please see full Prescribing Information at www.inveltys.com

About Kala Pharmaceuticals:
Kala is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of innovative therapies for diseases of the eye. Kala has applied its AMPPLIFY^® mucus-penetrating particle (MPP) Drug Delivery Technology to two ocular therapies, EYSUVIS^® (loteprednol etabonate ophthalmic suspension) 0.25% for the short-term (up to two weeks) treatment of signs and symptoms of dry eye disease and INVELTYS^® (loteprednol etabonate ophthalmic suspension) 1% for the treatment of post-operative inflammation and pain following ocular surgery. The Company also has a pipeline of pre-clinical development programs targeted to address unmet medical needs, including both front and back of the eye diseases. For more information on Kala, please visit www.kalarx.com.

Forward Looking Statements:
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, that involve substantial risks and uncertainties, including statements regarding the Company’s vision of delivering new therapies for people living with ocular disease, the Company’s pursuit of its goal of establishing itself as a leader in the development of new therapies to treat eye disease, and the Company’s efforts to change the treatment paradigm for ocular diseases, particularly in dry eye disease with EYSUVIS. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, contained in this press release, including statements regarding the Company’s strategy, future operations, future financial position, future revenue, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. The Company may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in its forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in the forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to: the impact of extraordinary external events, such as the current pandemic health event resulting from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), and their collateral consequences, including disruption of the activities of the Company’s sales force and the market for EYSUVIS and INVELTYS; whether the Company will be able to successfully implement its commercialization plans for EYSUVIS and INVELTYS; whether the market opportunity for EYSUVIS and INVELTYS is consistent with the Company’s expectations and market research; the Company’s ability execute on the commercial launch of EYSUVIS on the timeline expected, or at all, including obtaining and increasing Commercial and Medicare Part D payor coverage; whether the Company will be able to generate its projected net product revenue on the timeline expected, or at all; whether the Company's cash resources will be sufficient to fund the Company's foreseeable and unforeseeable operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements for the Company's expected timeline; other matters that could affect the availability or commercial potential of EYSUVIS and INVELTYS; and other important factors, any of which could cause the Company's actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, most recently filed Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and other filings the Company makes with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements represent the Company’s views as of the date of this release and should not be relied upon as representing the Company’s views as of any date subsequent to the date hereof. The Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Investors:
Jill Steier
jill.steier@kalarx.com
781-810-4086

Hannah Deresiewicz
hannah.deresiewicz@sternir.com
212-362-1200

FAQ

Who is C. Daniel Myers in relation to Kala Pharmaceuticals?

C. Daniel Myers has been appointed to the Board of Directors of Kala Pharmaceuticals, bringing over 35 years of ophthalmic pharmaceutical experience.

What impact could C. Daniel Myers' appointment have on Kala Pharmaceuticals?

His extensive background may enhance Kala's strategies for commercial products like EYSUVIS and INVELTYS, strengthening the company's position in the ocular disease market.

Why did Rajeev Shah leave Kala Pharmaceuticals' Board of Directors?

Rajeev Shah stepped down after contributing significantly to Kala's evolution from a private, clinical-stage company to a publicly traded organization.

What is EYSUVIS and its significance for Kala Pharmaceuticals?

EYSUVIS is approved for the short-term treatment of dry eye disease and is part of Kala's strategy to deliver innovative ocular therapies.

When was EYSUVIS approved by the FDA?

EYSUVIS was approved by the FDA on October 26, 2020.