PRINCETON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oyster Point Pharma, Inc., today announced the appointment of Dan Lochner, MBA as its Chief Financial Officer and John Snisarenko, MBA as Chief Commercial Officer. Mr. Lochner and Mr. Snisarenko join the company's roster of industry veterans.
Mr. Lochner joins Oyster Point Pharma after spending nearly 15 years, most recently as a Managing Director, at Goldman Sachs asset management focused on healthcare equity investing and fund management.
"Dan's appointment comes at a pivotal time for Oyster Point as we grow the organization and advance our lead asset OC-01 for Dry Eye Disease in Phase 3 clinical trials and develop transformative treatments to address diseases of the ocular surface. His financial and investment acumen is a tremendous asset.” stated Jeffrey Nau, PhD, MMS, President and Chief Executive Officer at Oyster Point Pharma.
Mr. Lochner brings a unique perspective to the business based on his extensive experience investing in pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies similar to Oyster Point Pharma while at Goldman Sachs. Mr. Lochner reports to Dr. Nau.
"I am honored to join the Oyster Point team at this exciting point in the growth and evolution of our business," said Mr. Lochner. "We have a solid business foundation, a growing pipeline and a strong cash position to support organic and inorganic growth opportunities. I am excited to be working with the Oyster Point management team."
Mr. Snisarenko joins Oyster Point Pharma from Shire (now Takeda) where he served as Group Vice President and Head of its ophthalmic business. Mr. Snisarenko brings extensive experience successfully leading the commercialization of new market entries and expanded indications for approved products. He has led commercial strategy and sales and marketing teams for multiple commercial products, including Xiidra®, Lucentis®, Rituxan®, and Actemra® with a demonstrated track record of building high performing teams and generating robust sales growth in highly competitive markets.
"The addition of John to Oyster Point adds seasoned leadership and deep expertise in the commercialization of ophthalmic products. His experience is critical for successfully building our commercial organization as we prepare to launch our lead asset for Dry Eye Disease and expand our product offering to address the high unmet need for patients with ocular surface diseases,” stated Dr. Nau.
Mr. Snisarenko brings vast experience in pharmaceutical and biotechnology leadership to the Company. He is responsible for all commercial strategy and execution for Oyster Point Pharma’s growing clinical portfolio, including the launch of OC-01 for Dry Eye Disease, if approved by the FDA. Mr. Snisarenko reports to Dr. Nau.
"I'm delighted to join Oyster Point and work with this dedicated team to bring such an innovative treatment as OC-01 to patients with Dry Eye Disease," said Mr. Snisarenko. "I am impressed with the clinical data to date from the OC-01 clinical trials, and am excited to be able to leverage my experience to build the commercial organization and bring our innovative pipeline to our customers."
About Dry Eye Disease
An estimated 16 million U.S. adults have been diagnosed with dry eye disease, a multifactorial condition of the ocular surface characterized by disruption of the tear film. A healthy tear film protects and lubricates the eyes, washes away foreign particles, contains growth factors and antimicrobial components to reduce the risk of infection, and creates a smooth surface that contributes refractive power for clear vision. Dry eye disease can have a significant impact on a person’s day-to-day quality of life, as it can cause persistent stinging, scratching, burning sensations, sensitivity to light, blurred vision, and eye fatigue. Despite the large prevalence of dry eye and the burden of the disease, there remains a significant unmet need for effective therapies.
About Oyster Point Pharma, Inc.
Oyster Point Pharma is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of first-in-class pharmaceutical therapies to treat ocular surface diseases. Our lead product candidate, OC-01, a highly selective nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) agonist, is being developed as a nasal spray to treat the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease. Dry eye disease is a chronic, progressive condition that impacts more than 30 million Americans and is growing in prevalence. OC-01’s novel mechanism of action re-establishes tear film homeostasis by activating the trigeminal parasympathetic pathway to stimulate the glands and cells responsible for natural tear film production, known as the Lacrimal Functional Unit. For more information, visit oysterpointrx.com and follow on Twitter at @OysterPointRx.
