Tarek S. Hassan, MD.
WATERTOWN, Mass.—EyePoint, Inc. (Nasdaq: EYPT), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company and developer of therapeutics for patients with serious retinal diseases, has announced the appointment of Tarek S. Hassan, MD, as senior vice president, chief strategic science officer. Dr. Hassan will report directly to Jay S. Duker, MD, president and CEO of EyePoint, and will serve as a member of the executive leadership team, according to the announcement. A globally recognized retina specialist with more than 35 years of experience, Dr. Hassan will provide strategic guidance across the company’s portfolio to optimize development, potential commercialization, and growth opportunities for EyePoint’s pipeline, including its lead program, Duravyu (vorolanib intravitreal insert).
Duravyu is an investigational, sustained-delivery treatment designed to treat serious retinal diseases, including wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD) and diabetic macular edema (DME). Approval from the FDA and the timeline for potential approval is uncertain, the company noted.
“We are pleased to welcome Dr. Hassan to the EyePoint leadership team at an important time for the company, as topline data for our phase 3 wet age-related macular degeneration trials for Duravyu are expected in the near future,” said Dr. Duker. “Dr. Hassan’s extensive clinical development expertise, proven track record in ophthalmology, and deep understanding of the therapeutic innovation required to meaningfully improve the treatment paradigm for serious retinal diseases will strengthen our strategic decision-making as we advance Duravyu, evaluate future growth opportunities, and build long-term value for patients and shareholders.”
Dr. Hassan is currently a professor of ophthalmology at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine and a senior partner at Associated Retinal Consultants in Royal Oak, Mich. He has held leadership roles across several major global retinal organizations, including serving as past president of the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS), the Foundation of the ASRS, the Retina World Congress (RWC), which he co-founded, and the Retina Hall of Fame. Throughout his career, Dr. Hassan has participated in more than 180 multicenter clinical trials, authored more than 250 peer-reviewed publications, and delivered more than 860 scientific presentations, nationally and internationally.
“As a practicing retina specialist and drug development executive, I continually see the burden that frequent intravitreal injections place on patients, their families, and the physicians who care for them,” said Dr. Hassan. “Throughout my career, I have focused on advancing innovations that meaningfully improve both vision outcomes and the treatment experience for patients, and I believe Duravyu has the potential to become a foundational therapy for wet age-related macular degeneration and diabetic macular edema. I am excited to join Jay and the talented EyePoint team at this pivotal moment in the company’s evolution, and I look forward to helping shape the strategy that may bring Duravyu to the patients who need it and the retina specialists who treat them.”
