Greg Kunst has been named CEO of Aurion Biotech, a newly launched company whose first product candidate is a cell therapy for corneal endothelial disease.
“I am delighted to join Aurion Biotech because we have all the key ingredients for success — the best science, the best scientists and medical advisors, and the best backers,” Kunst said. “Our lead candidate, in early research and Phase 2 and Phase 3 studies in Japan, has already demonstrated long-term, significant improvements in patients’ vision. I look forward to scaling up our team to pursue clinical development in the U.S. and around the world, and to build a platform of transformational biotechnologies with the aim of restoring vision to all patients who need it.”
The corneal endothelial cell therapy was invented by Shigeru Kinoshita and colleagues at Kyoto Prefecture University of Medicine in Japan.
Kunst has experience in ophthalmic medical devices, drug delivery systems, diagnostics, biotechnology and pharmaceutical products. Before Aurion Biotech, he spent six years at Glaukos Corp. (NYSE: GKOS), where he led the worldwide marketing, market access, reimbursement, health economics and outcomes research, government affairs, and business development teams. During his tenure at Glaukos, Kunst launched four new products and led the development for multiple ophthalmology device, pharmaceuticals and biologics candidates targeting corneal, glaucoma and retinal diseases. Before Glaukos, he was global franchise director over the glaucoma surgery and retina pharmaceutical businesses at Alcon, a Novartis company.
“Greg’s achievements and experience have prepared him well for the opportunity at Aurion Biotech,” said Tom Frinzi, board chair. “I quickly realized he is the right person at the right time to lead this team, and I couldn’t be more pleased to have him accelerate the company’s growth and success.”
Based in Seattle and Boston, Aurion Biotech is preparing for clinical trials in the U.S.