(PRESS RELEASE) LANGHORNE, PA — NEXGEL, Inc. (“NEXGEL” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: NXGL, NXGLW), a leading provider of ultra-gentle, high-water-content hydrogel products for healthcare and consumer applications, announced that the Company has appointed Dr. Neil Chesen and Dr. Leonard Nelson to its Scientific Advisory Board.
Dr. Nelson serves as Co-Director of the pediatric ophthalmology department and Director of the Strabismus Center at Wills Eye Hospital. He is an associate professor of ophthalmology and pediatrics at Thomas Jefferson University’s Sidney Kimmel Medical College and staff member at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Lankenau Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Dr. Nelson previously served on staff at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children.
He earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from Harvard Medical School, as well as completed his surgical internship at New England Deaconess Hospital and ophthalmology residency at New York University, Bellevue Hospital Center. He went on to complete a fellowship in pediatric ophthalmology at the Children’s National Hospital of GW University Hospital and fellowship in ocular genetics at the Wilmer Eye Institute of Johns Hopkins Medicine. Additionally, Dr. Nelson obtained his Master of Business Administration degree at St. Joseph’s University and bachelor’s degree in biology from Columbia University. He is the co-editor of the Journal of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus and authored over 300 publications and 15 textbooks in pediatric ophthalmology. He belongs to the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus and American Academy of Ophthalmology, among others.
“The NEXGEL team is constantly working to advance its mission of creating high-quality hydrogel products that can be worn by both consumers and patients for long periods of time with zero irritation,” said Dr. Nelson. “I look forward to joining the Scientific Advisory Board to further NEXGEL’s pursuit in developing these novel solutions for new indications.”
In addition to Dr. Nelson, Dr. Chesen is a board-certified ophthalmologist who has been in private practice at Chesen Laser Eye Center for 33 years, with extensive experience in cataract and LASIK procedures. He is also board-certified in internal medicine – one of only 40 physicians in the U.S. with this double board certification. Dr. Chesen received his bachelor’s degree in biology from Lafayette College and Doctor of Medicine degree from Jefferson Medical College. He completed his residency in internal medicine at Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia and residency in ophthalmology at Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow, N.Y. Dr. Chesen has hospital privileges at the Reading Hospital – Tower Health, Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center, where he is chairman of the department of ophthalmology, and Surgical Institute of Reading, where he currently serves as Board Chairman. He is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
“NEXGEL’s high-water content hydrogel technology is extremely unique in that it is ultra-gentle on the skin and has numerous product applications across the entire healthcare landscape,” added Dr. Chesen. “Through my decades of experience as an ophthalmologist, I see a lot of potential in these hydrogels for medicinal purposes, as well as the many others that NEXGEL currently has in its pipeline.”
“As Drs. Chesen and Nelson are well-known leaders in the field of ophthalmology, NEXGEL will greatly benefit from their extensive medical knowledge and expertise as we continue to develop solutions using our hydrogels to help different kinds of patients around the U.S. and world,” concluded Adam Levy, NEXGEL CEO.