– Former Head of Novartis’ Ophthalmology Development Unit to provide significant product development expertise and industry network
Berlin, Germany, November 16, 2022 — Dopavision, a clinical-stage company pioneering the development of digital therapeutics, today announced the appointment of Dr. Dirk Sauer as Chairman of the Company’s Advisory Board. Dirk Sauer brings an exceptional track record in the development of ophthalmic therapeutics and an extensive industry network to advance MyopiaX®, Dopavision’s leading-edge digital therapeutic for childhood myopia control. MyopiaX® is currently in clinical trials in Germany, Portugal, Spain, and Ireland.
Dirk Sauer is an expert in eye therapeutics development with long-standing global experience in ophthalmology and neuroscience. At Novartis Pharma, he successfully led numerous projects and teams during all phases of the drug development process and was, among others, responsible for the development of ophthalmology therapies to treat the wet form of macular degeneration. Furthermore, he led the company’s Ophthalmology Development Unit as Global Development Unit Head for more than nine years. During that time, he built a development portfolio in various ocular indications, spanning from small molecules to biologics, gene therapies, and digital therapeutics. His leadership included the development unit of the former Alcon Pharma franchise.
“Dirk brings extremely valuable knowledge in both research and product development,” said Mark Wuttke, CEO of Dopavision. “He is familiar with a wealth of indications affecting both back and front of the eye, the selection of the best approaches and the challenges of bringing them to market. He will be a great addition to our Advisory Board and will provide leadership for the entire R&D team.”
“I am really excited to chair Dopavision’s Advisory Board,” said Dr. Dirk Sauer. “The Company has developed an outstanding technology to combat childhood myopia, a very pressing global health problem. I am very happy to contribute to the success of this entirely new concept – a true digital approach to treat eye disease.”
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About Dopavision
Dopavision is pioneering the development of digital therapeutics. Its lead product MyopiaX® is currently in clinical trials in Germany, Portugal, Spain, and Ireland. It is designed as a game-changing therapeutic for childhood myopia which can be seamlessly integrated into the use of a smartphone.
Myopia, or shortsightedness, is a visual condition that affects on average every third person globally, a share that has increased rapidly during the last two decades and further accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic. High childhood myopia imposes a significant risk to cause visual impairment and even blindness later in life. Dopavision’s goal is to develop a clinically validated therapy to slow myopia progression in children and adolescents.
Founded in 2017 by Hamed Bahmani and Stefan Zundel, Dopavision has so far raised more than € 15 million in venture capital and public grants and is backed by top-tier international investors such as Seventure Partners, Novartis Pharma and Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund. Dopavision is supported by the German government via the “Industrie-in-Klinik” program of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research BMBF (Aktionsfeld “Gesundheitswirtschaft im Rahmenprogramm Gesundheitsforschung”, Förderkennzeichen/contract number 13GW0256).
For further information please contact:
Dopavision GmbH
Mark Wuttke
Chief Executive Officer
info@dopavision.com
Media Inquiries
akampion
Dr. Ludger Wess / Ines-Regina Buth
Managing Partners
info@akampion.com
Tel. +49 40 88 16 59 64 /
Tel. +49 30 23 63 27 68