Oculis Appoints Sharon Klier, M.D., M.S., M.P.H. as Chief Development Officer

ZUG, Switzerland, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Oculis Holding AG (Nasdaq: OCS) ("Oculis”), a global biopharmaceutical company purposefully driven to save sight and improve eye care, today announced the appointment of Dr. Sharon Klier, an executive leader with extensive experience in clinical development across early and late-stage programs, regulatory submissions, and approvals, to the role of Chief Development Officer. In this key role, Dr. Klier will oversee and provide strategic leadership across the clinical development and operations of Oculis’ robust ophthalmology pipeline.

Dr. Klier has over 20 years’ experience developing and executing global clinical development strategies that have supported product approvals and successful launches in retina and corneal diseases. Before joining Oculis, she served as Chief Development Officer, Head of Ophthalmology at UNITY Biotechnology, where she played a key role in driving forward UNITY’s pipeline.  Prior to that, Dr. Klier held roles of increasing responsibility at several companies including Quark, Allergan, ISTA and Pfizer, where she gained extensive experience in ophthalmology, particularly in retinal diseases, neuro-ophthalmology, and ocular inflammation.

Riad Sherif, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Oculis: "We are delighted that Sharon is joining Oculis’ strong R&D team. Sharon’s breadth of knowledge in ophthalmology, alongside her expertise in drug development, will be crucial as we continue to progress our late-stage pipeline. Her leadership experience, along with her proven track record in taking programs from late discovery through regulatory approval, will be instrumental as we continue to successfully execute our strategic vision.”

Sharon Klier, M.D., M.S., M.P.H., Chief Development Officer of Oculis: "I am excited to join the Oculis team, and have been so impressed by the company’s innovative, diverse and successful pipeline. I look forward to applying my expertise in clinical development across the different clinical programs, and to working with this skilled and accomplished team to make significant strides towards delivering new and transformative therapies for eye diseases.”

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About Oculis

Oculis is a global biopharmaceutical company (Nasdaq: OCS; XICE: OCS) purposefully driven to save sight and improve eye care. Oculis’ highly differentiated pipeline comprises multiple innovative product candidates in development. It includes OCS-01 eye drops, a topical candidate in Phase 3 development for diabetic macular edema (DME) and for treatment of inflammation and pain following ocular surgery; OCS-02, a topical biologic anti-TNFa eye drop candidate for dry eye disease (DED) and for non-infectious anterior uveitis; and OCS-05, a neuroprotective candidate for acute optic neuritis (AON). Headquartered in Switzerland and with operations in the US, Oculis’ goal is to improve the health and quality of life of patients worldwide. The company is led by an experienced management team with a successful track record and is supported by leading international healthcare investors.

For more information, please visit: www.oculis.com   

Oculis Contacts

Ms. Sylvia Cheung, CFO
sylvia.cheung@oculis.com

Investor & Media Relations

LifeSci Advisors
Corey Davis, Ph.D.
cdavis@lifesciadvisors.com
1-212-915-2577

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements and information. For example, the potential of Oculis to deliver potentially new and transformative therapies for eye diseases; expected future milestones and catalysts; the potential benefits of Oculis’ executive leadership team additions; the initiation, timing, progress and results of Oculis’ clinical and preclinical studies; Oculis’ research and development programs, regulatory and business strategy, future development plans, and management; Oculis’ ability to advance product candidates into, and successfully complete, clinical trials; and the the timing or likelihood of regulatory filings and approvals, are forward-looking. All forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Oculis and its management, are inherently uncertain and are inherently subject to risks, variability and contingencies, many of which are beyond Oculis’ control. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as, and must not be relied on by an investor as, a guarantee, assurance, prediction or definitive statement of a fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are difficult or impossible to predict and will differ from assumptions. All forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those that we expected and/or those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of Oculis, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of Oculis’ annual report on Form 20-F and any other documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC”). Copies of these documents are available on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov. Oculis undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.