WATERTOWN, Mass., Jan. 28, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EyePoint Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:EYPT), a specialty biopharmaceutical company committed to developing and commercializing innovative ophthalmic products, today announced the appointment of David Guyer, M.D., to the Company’s Board of Directors.

He will also serve on the Company’s Science Committee. Dr. Guyer has led several public and private biotechnology companies focused on ocular diseases, and has held leadership positions in academia and at healthcare venture capital firms. Dr. Guyer currently serves as Executive Chairman of Ophthotech Corporation, a publicly-traded biopharmaceutical company specializing in gene therapy treatments for ocular diseases, which he co-founded.

“Dr. Guyer has had a highly successful and multifaceted career in the ophthalmology space. As the former CEO, chairman and board member of numerous ocular disease companies, he has garnered valuable expertise in accelerating the growth of ophthalmology companies by overseeing pipeline creation, fundraising, business development, mergers and acquisitions, commercial launches and regulatory affairs,” said Göran Ando, M.D., Chairman of the Board of Directors of EyePoint Pharmaceuticals. “As we focus on our goals for 2019, including the upcoming commercial launches of two ophthalmic products in the first quarter of 2019, we will greatly benefit from Dr. Guyer’s extensive success and capability as a strategic advisor and executive in the ophthalmology space. On behalf of the entire Board and management team, it is a privilege to welcome Dr. Guyer to the team.”

“EyePoint is a company well-suited to take on its mission of addressing the serious unmet needs in ocular diseases that may lead to blindness,” commented Dr. Guyer. “I look forward to supporting EyePoint’s two near-term product launches and assisting the Company on its exciting mission to prevent and treat serious eye diseases.”

Before founding Opthotech, Dr. Guyer served as a partner and venture partner at SV Life Sciences Advisers, a venture capital firm focused on healthcare. Dr. Guyer co-founded Eyetech Pharmaceuticals Inc. and served as its Chief Executive Officer and as a member of its Board of Directors from 2000 until it was acquired by OSI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in November 2005. Prior to co-founding Eyetech Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Guyer was a Professor and served as Chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology at New York University School of Medicine. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Oxurion NV, a publicly traded biotechnology company.

Dr. Guyer received a B.S. from Yale College and an M.D. from Johns Hopkins Medical School. Dr. Guyer completed his ophthalmology residency at Wilmer Ophthalmological Institute, Johns Hopkins Hospital and a retinal fellowship at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary at Harvard Medical School.

About EyePoint Pharmaceuticals
EyePoint Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (formerly pSivida Corp.) (www.eyepointpharma.com), headquartered in Watertown, MA, is a specialty biopharmaceutical company committed to developing and commercializing innovative ophthalmic products in indications with high unmet medical need to help improve the lives of patients with serious eye disorders. With the approval by the FDA on October 12, 2018 of YUTIQ™ three-year treatment of chronic non-infectious uveitis affecting the posterior segment of the eye, the Company has developed five of the six FDA-approved sustained-release treatments for eye diseases. The most common adverse reactions reported for YUTIQ were cataract development and increases in intraocular pressure. DEXYCU™ was approved by the FDA on February 9, 2018. DEXYCU, administered as a single intraocular dose at the end of ocular surgery for the treatment of postoperative inflammation, is the first and only FDA-approved intraocular product with this indication. The most common adverse reactions reported by 5-15% of patients were intraocular pressure increased, corneal edema and iritis. DEXYCU employs the Verisome® extended-release drug delivery technology, which encompasses a broad number of related, but distinct drug delivery systems with the potential of incorporating an extensive range of active agents, including small molecules, proteins and monoclonal antibodies. ILUVIEN® (fluocinolone acetonide intravitreal implant), a micro-insert for diabetic macular edema, licensed to Alimera Sciences, Inc., is currently sold directly in the U.S. and several EU countries. Retisert® (fluocinolone acetonide intravitreal implant), for posterior uveitis, is licensed to and sold by Bausch & Lomb, Inc. The Company's pre-clinical development program is focused on using its core Durasert™ and the Verisome platform technologies to deliver drugs to treat wet age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and other diseases. To learn more about the Company, please visit www.eyepointpharma.com and connect on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Google+.