Bernie’s Quarterly Update – November 2024

November 13, 2024

A message from Bernie Iliakis, President & CEO of CorneaGen

We’re nearing the end of another year, having just wrapped AAO 2024—things are busy as always at CorneaGen, so I’m excited to share a few third quarter highlights and upcoming opportunities.

Industry events and participation

CorneaGen attended ESCRS in September and AAO in October, meeting with partners, sharing innovations, and showcasing our solutions.  Much of the talk was around the hot topic of Corneal Allogenic Intrastromal Ring Segments (CAIRS) and our customized solution, CTAK.

Corneal Tissue Addition Keratoplasty (CTAK) continues to have immense interest. It was our headliner for AAO, with 111 surgeons trained in wet labs throughout the course of the event. We have more than 300 surgeons interested in the solution, with nearly 165 on board and ready to submit patients. Dr. Peter Hersh (Teaneck, NJ), creator of CTAK, and Dr. Brandon Ayres (Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia) joined us at AAO to present on CTAK benefits for patients, sharing how the procedure can reshape the cornea and return sight. This innovative solution to corneal contouring represents a true treatment advancement for keratoconic eyes. We continue to be very excited about the ongoing work that is changing the lives of those affected by keratoconus and maximizing the gift of eye donation.

Also, at AAO, we were proud to highlight our EndoSerter-PL solution, demonstrating how it redefines DSEK. Dr. Yassine Daoud (Wilmer Eye Institute, Baltimore) led this discussion in the CorneaGen booth, presenting the benefits of and demonstrating pre-loaded DSEK.

We’re seeing growing international interest in CorneaGen solutions, and the work we’re doing with partners is infinitely rewarding. From the advancement of CTAK through collaborations with CTAK LLC, Ziemer, and Corza to the work with Iantrek Inc., whereby we assemble, package, and distribute its CycloPen, these partnerships make industry innovation possible.

I encourage all interested in learning more about CTAK to join me on Thursday, November 20th as I host a webinar on CTAK, presented by Dr. David Hardten (Minnesota Eye Consultants) and Dr. Elizabeth Davis (Minnesota Eye Consultants). Together, these doctors have performed over 100 CTAK procedures and they are ready to share their surgical pearls! You can register here.

Industry headwinds and developments

This year, the FDA has placed an increasing focus on tissue/eye donors with a notation of sepsis in their medical record. This is likely due to two recent tuberculosis infections that were linked to bone grafts. This has led to some eye banks being cited by the FDA for not determining donors as ineligible for transplant if there is documentation of sepsis in the medical record.

This can and already has significantly impacted the supply of ocular donor tissue for transplant in the US and abroad. It is possible final FDA guidance will require ruling out any donor with a notation of sepsis during their hospital stay. However, it is important to point out infectious disease consultants, who review a potential donor’s medical chart, as well as a Medical Director or Medical Director Designee, have always been part of making the final determination on eligibility and the track record of safety in corneal transplants is extremely high. We’re expecting additional FDA guidance soon, so more to come.

At CorneaGen, we’re well positioned and continue to maximize the gift, so we can continue to serve surgeons and patients with safe/quality tissue.

Industry conversations and discussion

I want to highlight CAKE Issue 24 – The Cornea Issue, which included CorneaGen commentary on the important role for-profits play in the eye banking industry. As you know, CorneaGen is very proud of the work we and other for-profit organizations have done to advance cornea care for the good of patients, surgeons, and the industry. We know our significant innovations (e.g. cell therapy) are possible only through a for-profit model, investor capital, and industry partnerships, as evidenced by the next-generation solutions and partnerships we’re talking about here in this message. I encourage you to read the article, starting on page 33, and know that CorneaGen remains committed to serving patients affected by corneal disease.

I close on a note of appreciation to everyone involved in supporting CorneaGen’s mission, and I look forward to finishing another year strong in 2024.

Bernie’s Quarterly Update – July 2024

July 30, 2024

A message from Bernie Iliakis, President & CEO of CorneaGen

As we close the second quarter of 2024, we’re incredibly proud at CorneaGen to have launched commercial availability of Corneal Tissue Addition for Keratoplasty (CTAK). An innovative solution to corneal contouring, CTAK is a true treatment advancement for keratoconic eyes—providing patient ready, gamma-irradiated sterile, non-immunogenic corneal tissue segments. We couldn’t be more excited about this new opportunity to change the lives of those affected by keratoconus, while also honoring and making the most of each corneal donation.

And we don’t do any of this alone—with ongoing innovations brought to the market by strong partnerships, I’m pleased to share more about what CorneaGen has achieved in the last few months.

Innovations in corneal care

CTAK co-inventors include Drs. Peter Hersh, Steven Greenstein, and John Gelles. More than 150 successful surgeries have been completed to date, and we have 30 active surgeons using the solution. Just one recent testimonial includes:

“Following a CTAK procedure, patients can experience a ‘wow’ effect with their vision. We have seen immediate impressive improvements in best corrected and uncorrected vision. This immediate improvement at the first follow-up is an exciting experience for those dealing with Keratoconus.” – Dr. William Wiley, Medical Director, Cleveland Eye Clinic Division of Midwest Vision Partners

There’s been a lot of focus around corneal allogenic intrastromal ring segments (CAIRS) in the last few years and even growing international interest in a solution such as CTAK. We want to encourage everyone interested to reach out, as we continue delivering CTAK to the market, and don’t miss the webinar we’re hosting on August 6^th at 6pm Pacific, highlighting the solution.

Partnerships and philanthropy

Organizational partnerships that led to the creation of CTAK include CTAK LLC and Ziemer, and we have many others. CorneaGen has a long history with Geuder AG, as the distributor of their glass cannula used for DMEK surgery. We’re continuing to grow in the glaucoma space with collaborations like Iantrek Inc., whereby we assemble, package, and distribute the newly launched CycloPen, which utilizes scleral tissue for microinvasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS). CorneaGen’s collaborations to advance treatments, as well as efforts to provide sterile grafts for glaucoma and cornea surgeries through our Long-Term Tissue program, continue to be world class in the industry.

And I wanted to highlight CorneaGen’s Jared Young, our VP of Sales and Marketing, on his co-founding of the Trillium Vision Foundation. As this organization helps restore vision globally through a community of people and partners, CorneaGen is proud to support their philanthropic work. Watch the link below for coverage of their most recent trip to San Salvador.

https://eyewire.news/tv/trillium-vision-foundation.

Growth and expansion

In closing, I also wanted to make note of CorneaGen’s growing presence in California and Florida. Announced earlier this year, CorneaGen expanded eye recovery and processing services of donor tissue for facilities throughout California. We are in the midst of facility expansion in the Bay Area and Orlando, growing our team in both locations. We close a strong and eventful first half of 2024 with significant impact in the ophthalmic space.

Thank you as always to our surgeons and partners for helping support CorneaGen’s mission. I look forward to connecting on our progress next quarter.

CTAK Update from ASCRS 2024

May 15, 2024

_{Photo: Bernie Iliakis hosts a lively conversation at ASCRS Boston with
Edward J. Holland M.D. and Terry Kim M.D.}

Bernie’s Quarterly Update – April 2024

April 23, 2024

A message from Bernie Iliakis, President & CEO of CorneaGen

What a successful first quarter of 2024 here at CorneaGen. We just wrapped another hugely successful ASCRS annual meeting, where we showcased our innovative treatment for keratoconic eyes Corneal Tissue Addition for Keratoplasty (CTAK).

CTAK Surgical Demonstration at ASCRS 2024

Our booth-talk and hands-on wet labs generated significant interest and buzz.

To date, we’ve helped 118 patients generating very positive results and surgeon feedback. Broad availability is coming very soon, so I recommend getting in line now. More ASCRS news is to come as the team has a chance to recap all the important learnings and interactions.

Focusing on the last three months, I’m excited to share the following highlights and milestones, as we continue the innovative work for the year ahead.

Partnerships and programs

I traveled to Tokyo for the Japan Cornea Conference during Q1, meeting with partner surgeons overseas and sponsoring the first wet labs at that conference. Japan has been an important market for CorneaGen for over 27 years, as we serve those in need of the life changing gift of sight there, in addition to patients in 50 other countries. With nine offices and/or laboratories in the US, plus partnerships with more than 25 eye/organ/tissue banks, we’re honored to help meet corneal transplant needs around the world.

We held the first East Coast edition (in North Carolina) of our program for Corneal Fellows, bringing area surgeons together to learn about the journey of the donor cornea and eye banking in general. I’m really proud of the work to provide this educational opportunity, which allows us all to learn and consider ways to improve how we treat and care for those affected by corneal disease.

Product and service innovation

CorneaGen supplied more than 32,500 sight-restoring grafts last year. We announced that number last month, and it’s worth repeating—this is a record amount of tissue that positively affects a record number of lives.

The EndoSerter-PL has been used in 2,200 successful surgeries since our 2022 launch optimizing critical time in the OR. Our industry leading DMEK solution, the Geuder Pre-Loaded Glass Cannula, continues to be the pre-loaded solution of choice. Our Long-Term Tissue program, providing sterile grafts for glaucoma and cornea surgeries, continues to show impressive growth and our processing expertise, operational excellence and customer service continue to be world class in the industry.

In closing, my heartfelt thanks to everyone in the industry—surgeons, companies, eye banks—for helping support our mission at CorneaGen to provide the highest quality donor tissue, unparalleled service, and superior products. We cannot do it without each of you.

I look forward to connecting again at the end of the second quarter. Thank you.

CorneaGen Showcases 2023 Company Milestones and Momentum

March 7, 2024

CorneaGen Showcases 2023 Company Milestones and Momentum

Sight restoring grafts, service expansion, and surgeon partnerships make big industry impact

Seattle, WA – March. 6, 2024 – Seattle-based CorneaGen is proud to share several milestone successes from the past year, as momentum in 2024 starts off strong.  From total sight-restoring grafts to global services for surgeons, surgery centers and industry partners, CorneaGen is delivering on its mission to provide high quality tissue, service, and innovation to treat and care for every person impacted by corneal disease.

“CorneaGen is coming off a very successful 2023, which sets the organization up for what we believe will be an even stronger 2024,” said Tom Frinzi, CorneaGen Board Chair. “As a market leader we remain focused on areas like innovation and expanded eye recovery, enabling our stellar team to deliver on our commitment, providing the life-changing gift of sight.”

In 2023, CorneaGen provided more than 32,500 sight-restoring grafts, a record amount of tissue provided for transplant, impacting a record number of lives. CorneaGen now has nine strategically located offices/laboratories and partnerships with over 25 eye/organ/tissue banks to serve US corneal transplant needs, as well as Japan and nearly 50 additional countries.  From a financial perspective, CorneaGen experienced solid growth, which directly contributes to how it reinvests wholly into innovation and serving surgeon and patient needs.

“CorneaGen innovates with each new product, specifically benefitting patients and ultimately helping the entire ophthalmic sector,” said Bernie Iliakis, President & CEO. “Recent developments, including the EndoSerter-PL® for preloaded delivery of Nano-Thin™ or Ultra-Thin DSEK grafts and Corneal Tissue Addition for Keratoplasty (CTAK) to enhance treatment for keratoconic eyes, improves outcomes and surgical efficiency.”

The world’s leading provider of ocular tissue, CorneaGen’s mission is to provide the highest quality donor tissue and products, accomplishing this work through ophthalmic industry partnerships. In addition to product and tissue processing innovations, CorneaGen is an industry leader in patient advocacy. Through its efforts to simplify payor reimbursement and offer world class programs to advance surgeon education, CorneaGen helps tens of thousands of patients every year.

About CorneaGen
CorneaGen’s mission is to provide the highest quality donor tissue, unparalleled customer service and superior products that transform how ophthalmologists treat and care for every person impacted by corneal disease. Through continuous innovations in tissue processing technology and surgical devices, advocacy for patient access and simplified payor reimbursement policies, CorneaGen is advancing the next generation of cornea care.  As the world’s leading provider of ocular tissue, CorneaGen has multiple locations and local partnerships throughout the U.S. to deliver the life-changing gift of sight to tens of thousands of people each year. Read more at https://corneagen.com/.

Media contacts

Jared Young, CorneaGen VP Sales and Marketing

jared.young@corneagen.com

619-518-0734

Julie Fogerson, Fearey Group

jfogerson@feareygroup.com

425-503-3154

Bernie’s Quarterly – November 2023

November 1, 2023

A message from Bernie Iliakis, President & CEO of CorneaGen

We’re nearing the end of another year and gearing up for AAO 2023—things are very busy at CorneaGen and for many throughout the industry. As we wrap up October, I’m excited to share a few third quarter highlights and opportunities just ahead on the horizon.

Industry partnerships and participation

CorneaGen attended ESCRS in September, where we met with a number of partners—Ziemer, Geuder, AJL, and more. We continue to build these relationships and develop new ones throughout the industry, advancing corneal care together.

Also, on the collaboration note, CorneaGen continues to work in new and unique ways with its fellow eye bank partners to provide the highest quality tissue, service, and products to surgeons and patients.

Mutually beneficial partnerships like those named above help maximize the quality and quantity of corneal tissue for everyone through integrated tissue sharing and improved eye recovery. We will be announcing some of these collaborations soon, stay tuned.

Innovative products and people

Our EndoSerter-PL is in the hands of more and more surgeons, and it has been used in close to two thousand successful surgeries since last year’s launch. This continues to be an exciting product, saving significant time for surgeons in the OR.

We also have our Corneal Tissue Addition for Keratoplasty (CTAK) solution to get in line for now. Improving the treatment of keratoconic eyes, CTAK is in ongoing clinical studies, and we’re very excited to showcase it at AAO. We’ll be running wet labs to demonstrate this latest innovation in corneal contouring. As we approach fifty surgeries completed, we’re receiving outstanding results and surgeon feedback. CTAK also helps save valuable procedure time through the personalized surgical plan it provides, delivering laser cut corneal tissue segments customized to each patient.

Testimonials we’ve received from surgeons so far include:

“Keratoconus is a very frustrating disease with visual disability often requiring a corneal transplant when vision degrades to where glasses or contacts don’t work well. CTAK corneal tissue addition provides a great option for those patients with quick recovery, improved vision without the long recovery or risk of a corneal transplant. We’ve been very happy with the results.” – David Hardten, M.D., F.A.C.S

“Overall, I think CTAK is a fantastic procedure for patients with keratoconus that markedly improves uncorrected and best corrected vision without need for a more invasive PK or DALK.” – Elizabeth A. Davis, M.D., F.A.C.S

This is our mission at CorneaGen—providing the highest quality donor tissue, unparalleled service, and superior products. And this promise is exactly what we’re delivering on with our newest solutions.

In closing, I hope to see many of you at AAO, and I thank everyone throughout the industry—surgeons, organizations, eye banks—for the work we’re doing together to transform how ophthalmologists treat and care for every person impacted by corneal disease.

Thank you.

Annie Thompson Recognized by Fabulous Washington

August 29, 2023

Our very own CFO, Annie Thompson, has been profiled in Fabulous People by Fabulous Washington!

Annie’s remarkable leadership, unwavering dedication, and outstanding financial expertise have not only propelled our company to new heights but have also captured the spotlight of Fabulous Washington’s feature.

This recognition is a testament to her extraordinary achievements and the invaluable contributions she has made to our organization.

Join us in applauding Annie’s well-earned accolade. Check-out Annie’s Fabulous People profile, highlighting her remarkable achievements and journey on Fabulous Washington.

Fabulous People: Annie Thompson

Bernie’s Quarterly Update – June 2023

June 26, 2023

We’re halfway through 2023 and happy about how things are going and what the future holds. We have enjoyed a great six months of growth beyond our forecast. Our ongoing work to build innovative solutions, foster industry relationships, and strengthen our team and company culture continues. Here are several successes and/or opportunities I’m most proud of as we close the second quarter.

Promoting our innovations

CorneaGen was in full force at ASCRS 2023 in May, where we had the chance to celebrate another milestone for the EndoSerter-PL. Now in the hands of more than 150 surgeons, the EndoSerter-PL has been used in over 1,000 successful surgeries. The product keeps proving itself as a next generation device, improving efficiency in the O.R. by helping perform DSAEK surgery with precision. We also previewed our Corneal Tissue Addition for Keratoplasty (CTAK) solution which offers an exciting option for the treatment of keratoconic eyes and is now starting clinical trials. While we enjoyed great booth traffic throughout the event, it was the CTAK preview that earned the most interest, and we’ll have more to share at AAO later this year. And one more ASCRS note, the subspecialty day was incredible this year, with so many innovative developments underway that will transform this industry. We’ve heard about the potential of disruptive innovations such as cell therapy and artificial corneas for years…now they’re here!

Partnerships in the industry and patient access

 We’re still forging new relationships and strengthening existing ones across the eye/tissue donation profession. We continue to formalize mutually beneficial arrangements with our partner eye banks to maximize the quality and quantity of corneal tissue available. It was great to interact with many of these colleague at the EBAA meeting in Dallas recently.  Whether it be more integrated tissue sharing, access to our innovative devices, or improving eye recovery in certain geographies, we are thinking “outside the box” when it comes to working with our trusted donation partners.

People are our passion

CorneaGen recently congratulated Chief Talent Management Officer Gretchen Coker on her semi-retirement after 14 years with us. And while we’re sad to see Gretchen go, we’re thrilled to welcome Heather Smith, taking over the HR role. Heather brings a wealth of experience, joining us from A Place for Mom, where she served as their Director of Human Resources. We’re also coordinating our next educational opportunity for Fellows, preparing to bring 14 surgeons to Seattle to learn about best practices in the field. And finally, the reason we’re in this industry, doing this work—patients. In always seeking to honor a donor’s gift, I wanted to share a news story about a donation from 2019. In this clip, Kayla’s family shared how they worked to make their daughter’s gift create positive change in their community years later.

As we close, I reaffirm our mission. CorneaGen remains committed to providing the highest quality donor tissue, unparalleled service, and superior products. We have much more to do in the second half of 2023, and I can’t wait to share.

CorneaGen Recognized With Cigna Healthy Workforce Designation

March 27, 2023

Cigna has selected CorneaGen as a recipient of their Bronze level Healthy Workforce Designation for demonstrating a strong commitment to improving the health and well-being of its employees through a workplace wellness program.

“We are working closely with Cigna as we continue to build our employee well-being program here at CorneaGen, providing different forms of resources to engage all employees,” said Gretchen Coker, Chief Talent Management Officer “We recognize that there are different dimensions of wellness and aim to support the well-being of our employees across these various areas. We’ve increased our engagement over the last year with multiple events, including  a team fitness challenge, wellness seminars, and a bi-weekly newsletter.  We look forward to increasing our efforts towards a healthier work culture.”

“At CorneaGen employee health is our top priority; we are honored to be recognized with the Cigna Healthy Workforce Designation” said Gretchen.  “We understand the important role employee well-being plays in a company’s success and the relationship between healthy employees contributing to a more productive, satisfied workforce and positive business performance.”

Investing in an effective workplace well-being program drives value for employers. Senior executives surveyed as part of an Economist Impact study commissioned by Cigna reported greater productivity, stronger staff morale and motivation, and greater retention and loyalty as the most significant business outcomes of a healthy workforce. Additionally, a Gallup Report finds that on average, companies with high employee engagement are 23 percent more profitable.

“As a consultative growth partner, Cigna knows that a healthy workforce is critical to business growth,” said Cindy Ryan, executive vice president and chief human resources officer. “We are honored to recognize organizations like CorneaGen who share our commitment to workplace wellness. Creating a healthy work culture is of critical importance, and many employers are seeing increased employee engagement, productivity, and retention as a result of whole person health wellness initiatives.”

The Cigna Healthy Workforce Designation, formerly known as the Cigna Well-Being Award, evaluates organizations based on the core components of their well-being program, including leadership and culture, program foundations, program execution, and whole person health. Organizations recognized with this designation set the standard of excellence for whole-organization health. Cigna is proud to honor CorneaGen with the Bronze level designation for having made good progress towards a healthy work culture by establishing and growing their employee well-being and engagement program.

Bernie’s Quarterly Update – March 2023

March 23, 2023

We’re already nearing the end of the first quarter, having started 2023 on a strong note. At CorneaGen, we’re excited about how the year’s going so far, what’s just ahead, and the goals that are a bit further out. As always, it’s collaboration that gets the job done. Whether that’s here at CorneaGen or in the broader industry, success happens through partnerships and teamwork.

Here are a few things that are top of mind right now.

Product innovations

CorneaGen launched the EndoSerter-PL at ASCRS 2022, and we’re excited to showcase the product again at ASCRS this May. By that time, EndoSerter-PL will be in the hands of more than 150 surgeons, having been used in approximately 1,000 successful surgeries. We continue our innovative efforts on other new products planned for this year, and we’ll have a preview of those also at the coming ASCRS event.

Partnerships in the industry and patient access

We continue engaging eye banks and donation partners. It’s by strengthening existing relationships and forging new ones that we all succeed. We’re expanding access to our innovative services and technologies, as well as building a program for successful corneal transplant reimbursement. The goal is to increase awareness, education, patient access, and quality tissue for all in the cornea community.

People that inspire

CorneaGen recently promoted three of our industry veterans to new and expanded roles.

First, Jared Young has been promoted to the position of Vice President Sales & Marketing, adding domestic sales, sales operations and analysis, and product commercialization leadership to his past oversight of marketing, communication, and new products. Jared has been with CorneaGen for seven years and has played a critical role in developing and delivering on CorneaGen’s vision and mission. He is a valued leader and is excited to take on this expanded role.

And CorneaGen’s customer facing Surgical Product Specialist (SPS) team now will be overseen by two newly created regional manager roles, led by Melissa Cruz and Terrell Brodnax. Both Melissa and Terrell have demonstrated excellence as SPSs in their respective territories, supporting CorneaGen’s surgeon customers, surgical facilities, and partners.

I close with the opportunity to once again highlight the reason we do what we do. CorneaGen is committed to providing the highest quality donor tissue, unparalleled service, and superior products—from driving innovation to developing stronger ties throughout the industry, our people and partnerships serve as constant sources of inspiration.

Here’s to a successful 2023 and all the work we’ll accomplish together.

Sincerely,

Bernie Iliakis, President and CEO