Qlaris Bio Appoints Fred Guerard as CEO as QLS-111 Glaucoma Drug Enters Phase 3 Development
核心洞察
Qlaris Bio (搜索) appointed Fred Guerard, PharmD, as president and CEO, succeeding cofounder Thurein Htoo as the company prepares for Phase 3 trials.
QLS-111, a novel eye drop targeting episcleral venous pressure, demonstrated sustained intraocular pressure reduction with favorable safety in Phase 2 trials.
Guerard brings over two decades of global ophthalmology leadership experience from Opthea, Graybug Vision (搜索), and Novartis to advance the glaucoma therapy.
Qlaris Bio (搜索), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing first-in-class therapies for glaucoma, has appointed Fred Guerard, PharmD, as president and chief executive officer, effective March 1, 2026. The leadership change comes as the company prepares to advance its lead candidate QLS-111 into Phase 3 clinical development for treating open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension.
Guerard succeeds Thurein Htoo, who cofounded the company and led it through key development milestones. Htoo will remain with the company through April 1, 2026, to ensure a seamless leadership transition.
Novel Mechanism Shows Promise in Phase 2 Trials
QLS-111 represents a differentiated approach to lowering intraocular pressure through its novel vasodilatory mechanism targeting episcleral venous pressure. The preservative-free eye drop is an ATP-sensitive potassium channel modulator originally discovered at Mayo Clinic and developed by Qlaris Bio (搜索).
In Phase 2 clinical trials named Osprey and Apteryx, QLS-111 demonstrated sustained intraocular pressure reduction with a favorable safety profile. Guerard described the results as "promising" and emphasized the drug's potential to address a critical unmet need for people living with open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension.
"QLS-111 represents a differentiated and potentially transformative approach to lowering intraocular pressure by targeting the episcleral vein through its novel vasodilatory mechanism," Guerard said in a statement.
Experienced Leadership for Pivotal Growth Phase
Guerard brings more than two decades of global leadership experience in ophthalmology and biotechnology. He most recently served as CEO of Opthea, where he strengthened the company's strategic and financial position as it advanced its pivotal program. Previously, he was president and CEO of Graybug Vision (搜索), leading the company through a Series C financing and its initial public offering.
Prior to Graybug, Guerard served as worldwide franchise head of ophthalmology at Novartis, overseeing a global portfolio across the Novartis retina and Alcon pharmaceuticals businesses and executing multiple strategic transactions to expand the pipeline. During his two decades at Novartis, he held several senior leadership roles across Europe, Asia-Pacific, and emerging markets.
"Fred brings more than two decades of global ophthalmology leadership experience across biotechnology and major pharmaceutical organizations," said Ron Hunt, chairman of the board of Qlaris. "His proven ability to build high-performing teams and drive clinical and commercial execution will be invaluable as we enter this pivotal stage of growth."
Preparing for Late-Stage Development
The appointment positions Qlaris for the critical Phase 3 development stage and potential commercialization preparation. Wende Hutton, member of the board of directors of Qlaris and general partner of Canaan Partners (搜索), noted that "Qlaris is now in a strong position to take QLS-111 through late-stage development."
Guerard expressed his commitment to advancing the Phase 3 program and preparing the organization for commercialization. "I look forward to working with Qlaris' talented team to advance our Phase 3 program and prepare the organization for commercialization," he said.
The company's focus on targeting episcleral venous pressure represents a novel approach in glaucoma treatment, potentially offering a new therapeutic option for patients with open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension who need effective intraocular pressure reduction.