How A First-Time Pharma CEO Faces Hypergrowth

By Rob Wright, Chief Editor, Life Science Leader
Follow Me On Twitter @RfwrightLSL

“BUY WHAT YOU KNOW.”

It’s a saying meant to guide investors. The notion is, if you are going to invest in a company stock, you should know and understand what it is that company does. That same principle could be applied to how one manages their career. For example, Jeffrey Nau, Ph.D., knows the human eye — very well. “I’ve been involved in ophthalmic drug development my entire career,” he says. So, it’s probably no surprise that he’d one day become president and CEO of a clinical-stage company focused on discovery, development, and commercialization of therapies to treat the eye. What’s odd, though, is that the key asset his company, Oyster Point Pharma, is developing is a nasal spray for the eye. Specifically, OC-01 (varenicline) is being developed to treat dry eye disease (DED) and neurotrophic keratitis, which is a degenerative eye disease characterized by decreased corneal sensitivity and poor corneal healing.