Ocugen Appoints Robert J. Hopkins, MD, MPH & TM, FACP, FIDSA, as Chief Medical Officer and Promotes Arun Upadhyay, PhD, to Chief Scientific Officer

Rhea-AI Summary

Ocugen, Inc. (NASDAQ: OCGN) announced the appointment of Robert J. Hopkins as Chief Medical Officer and Arun Upadhyay as Chief Scientific Officer. Dr. Hopkins brings over 25 years of experience in clinical research and has previously served as Chief Medical Officer at Adaptive Phage Therapeutics. Dr. Upadhyay transitions from Senior Vice President to lead the company’s R&D efforts. The leadership changes aim to enhance Ocugen's clinical programs and product development in gene therapies and vaccines, particularly for COVID-19 and retinal diseases.

Positive

• Appointment of Robert J. Hopkins as Chief Medical Officer expected to enhance clinical programs.
• Arun Upadhyay's promotion to Chief Scientific Officer strengthens leadership in R&D and manufacturing.

Negative

• None.

MALVERN, Pa., Sept. 01, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ocugen, Inc. (Ocugen or the Company) (NASDAQ: OCGN), a biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing novel gene and cell therapies and vaccines, today announced the appointment of Robert J. Hopkins, MD, MPH & TM, FACP, FIDSA, as Chief Medical Officer. Arun Upadhyay, PhD, previously Senior Vice President, Research & Development, will now serve as the Company’s Chief Scientific Officer, overseeing the development and manufacturing of Ocugen’s clinical and commercial product portfolio and evaluating new technologies.

“We are extremely pleased to have Dr. Hopkins driving our clinical programs as his expertise across the industry along with his work at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority will provide us with tremendous insights in bringing innovative solutions to patients,” said Dr. Shankar Musunuri, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and Co-Founder of Ocugen.

“Dr. Upadhyay has been invaluable in establishing Ocugen’s unique modifier gene delivery platform and collaborating with our partner Bharat Biotech in the development of COVAXIN™,” said Dr. Musunuri. “It’s truly been a pleasure working alongside him for the past several years, and we look to his scientific leadership to deliver new breakthroughs in medicine.”

Dr. Hopkins has more than 25 years’ experience as a physician and clinical researcher. In addition to his work in government organizations, he has held senior level positions at Merck Research Labs, DynPort Vaccine Company, Emergent BioSolutions, and Aeras. He has developed and commercialized multiple vaccine and therapeutic products, Phases 1 through 4. Prior to joining Ocugen, he was the Chief Medical Officer at Adaptive Phage Therapeutics where he oversaw regulatory affairs, clinical development, and clinical operations.

“I look forward to bringing my vaccines and therapeutics experience to Ocugen,” said Dr. Hopkins. “It’s imperative that we provide additional options in the fight against COVID-19, as well as deliver new gene and cell therapies to address unmet medical need.”

Dr. Upadhyay has spent more than 20 years in discovery research and innovation developing novel therapeutic modalities and drug-delivery technologies. He has been leading nonclinical, early-to-late-stage global product development and manufacturing, bioanalyses, and clinical trial supply management. Dr. Upadhyay has led multiple successful regulatory submissions in the U.S. He has worked extensively in drug development—ranging from small molecules to biologics, and advanced cell and gene therapy modalities. Prior to joining Ocugen, he led ophthalmic drug development and delivery research at the University of Colorado Denver in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences. There, Dr. Upadhyay was instrumental in developing novel approaches for sustained and targeted drug delivery of peptides, proteins, RNA, and DNA to cells and tissues. Dr. Upadhyay also led engineering of polymeric micro and nano carriers’ system of vaccine antigens to enhance immunogenicity and protective immunity.

“I’m excited to expand my role at Ocugen and lead our R&D and manufacturing teams to advance our product pipeline and evolve the Company in gene therapy and regenerative medicine,” said Dr. Upadhyay.

Dr. Hopkins and Dr. Upadhyay are part of Ocugen’s leadership team, reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer.

About Ocugen, Inc.
Ocugen, Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing novel gene and cell therapies and vaccines that improve health and offer hope for patients across the globe. We are making an impact on patient’s lives through courageous innovation—forging new scientific paths that harness our unique intellectual and human capital. Our breakthrough modifier gene therapy platform has the potential to treat multiple retinal diseases with a single product, and we are advancing research in infectious diseases to support public health and orthopedic diseases to address unmet medical needs.

Discover more at www.ocugen.com and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are subject to risks and uncertainties. We may, in some cases, use terms such as “predicts,” “believes,” “potential,” “proposed,” “continue,” “estimates,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “plans,” “intends,” “may,” “could,” “might,” “will,” “should,” or other words that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes to identify these forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to numerous important factors, risks, and uncertainties that may cause actual events or results to differ materially from our current expectations. These and other risks and uncertainties are more fully described in our periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the risk factors described in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in the quarterly and annual reports that we file with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements that we make in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update forward-looking statements contained in this press release whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, after the date of this press release.

Contact:
Tiffany Hamilton
Head of Communications
IR@ocugen.com

FAQ

Who is the new Chief Medical Officer of Ocugen?

Robert J. Hopkins has been appointed as the Chief Medical Officer of Ocugen.

What experience does Robert J. Hopkins bring to Ocugen?

Robert J. Hopkins has over 25 years of experience in clinical research, having held senior positions at Merck, Adaptive Phage Therapeutics, and other organizations.

What role will Arun Upadhyay take on at Ocugen?

Arun Upadhyay will serve as Chief Scientific Officer, overseeing R&D and product development.

How might these leadership changes impact Ocugen's product pipeline?

The new leadership is expected to advance Ocugen's clinical programs and enhance product development in gene and cell therapies.