OTI Expands New Management Team: David C. Iannetta
Massachusetts - March 30th, 2026. Ophthalmic Therapeutic Innovation, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing the first matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) pathway-based therapy for glaucoma and related conditions, today welcomes Dave Iannetta as the company’s Consulting Chief Business Officer.
Dave is an accomplished commercial business executive with 20 years of experience in product development & commercialization, regulatory, IPO, acquisition, cross-functional leadership and management in the highly regulated biotech industry. Dave recently served as the VP of Marketing and Executive team member who successfully navigated the “Life of a Startup”- product development and FDA submission, fundraising, FDA approval, US launch, IPO, and $500M acquisition by Glaukos Inc.
“We are excited to welcome Dave’s broad skill set and deep expertise in collaboration with different stakeholders: physicians, patients, investors, payers and regulators,” stated Tina Guanting Qiu, CEO. Dave’s track record and experience in multiple ophthalmic therapeutic areas will strengthen the transformation of OTI-2024 (formerly known as trabodenoson) from a “me too” IOP lowering drug to a breakthrough new MMP agent with potential benefits such as a drug holiday and dosing flexibility.
Dave earned his MBA from the Sloan School of Management at MIT and has a BS in Chemical Engineering from Lehigh University. He is a co-inventor of several US and international patents including Cross-linking distribution in the cornea. He has earned multiple award-winning marketing campaigns including an MM&M Gold Award while at Oyster Point Pharma.
OTI recently completed a conversion to a C-Corp and has established a high standard corporate governance, legal compliance and financial infrastructure. At OTI, we believe that successful partnerships are built on a foundation of trust.
OTI Welcomes Arthur Healey as Strategic Finance Advisor
Massachusetts, USA — March 13, 2026 — Ophthalmic Therapeutic Innovation (OTI) is pleased to welcome Arthur Healey, JD/CPA, as the company’s new Finance and Accounting Advisor. Arthur is a seasoned entrepreneurial finance executive who has served as a CFO for early-stage biotech firms since 2000. As both an attorney and a CPA, he brings a powerful combination of financial rigor and strategic insight to OTI.
In his advisory role, Arthur will focus on strengthening OTI's financial and accounting operations and overseeing critical compliance tasks, such as financial reporting and IRS tax filings. He will provide strategic guidance regarding the company's current financing activities and long-term corporate growth.
Arthur’s expertise is vital as OTI accelerates its glaucoma therapeutic programs and transitions following its recent C-Corp formation. His leadership will ensure that OTI’s operational and financial foundation remains as robust as its scientific advancements while the company positions itself for upcoming financing rounds.
OTI LLC Completes Conversion to Dalaware C Corporation
Massachusetts, USA — March 2, 2026 — Ophthalmic Therapeutic Innovation (OTI), a biotechnology company developing innovative therapies for serious ophthalmic diseases, announced that it has completed its conversion to Ophthalmic Therapeutic Innovation, Inc., a Delaware C Corporation, through an F-reorganization effective March 2, 2026.
The corporate transition positions OTI for its next phase of growth, including institutional financing, strategic partnerships, and continued advancement of its therapeutic pipeline. “Becoming a Delaware C Corporation establishes the governance and capital structure needed to support long-term growth and institutional engagement,” said Dr. Tina Guanting Qiu, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ophthalmic Therapeutic Innovation.
OTI’s lead program, OTI-2024, is a reformulated trabodenoson therapy being developed as a potential disease-modifying treatment for early and advanced stage glaucoma via tissue rejuvenation.
The corporate reorganization was completed with legal representation from Brendan Burke, Partner at Foley Hoag LLP.
Welcome Glaucoma Surgeon Investor and Clinical Advisor
Massachusetts, USA [Feburary 17th 2026].
OTI announced that Dr. Meenakshi Chaku, MD has joined OTI as the newest Surgeon Investor and Clinical Advisor. Dr Chaku's bridge fund is timely in supporting OTI's first US patent procecution and upcoming PCT #2 national phase filings as well as core business operation. OTI holds a strong patent potfolio for trabodenoson (OTI-2024) for treating the disease root causes of glaucoma and related degenerative eye disease.
Dr. Chaku brings an extraordinary wealth of expertise to turbo charge OTI's clinical excellence as OTI sets new standards of IOP normalization for glaucoma. Dr Chaku is a Professor of Ophthalmology at the Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, and serves as the Director of the Glaucoma Service and Ophthalmology CME Programs at Loyola University Medical Center. After earning her M.D. and M.S. from Wayne State University, she completed her residency at the Kresge Eye Institute and a specialized Glaucoma Fellowship at the University of Virginia.
A board-certified specialist, Dr. Chaku is a widely recognized leader in glaucoma and cataract surgery, with research interests focused on medical and surgical advancements and patient education. Her professional achievements include extensive publications on glaucoma drainage implants and leadership roles as a moderator and chair for organizations such as the Chicago Glaucoma Society and the American Academy of Ophthalmology. https://www.luc.edu/stritch/ophthalmology/faculty/profiles/meenakshichakumd.shtml
Exciting Regulaory Milestones
Regulatory Update
Massachusetts, USA [January 13th 2026].
Since May 2024, OTI has undertaken series of FDA consultion meetings and achieved a clear roadmap of Phase 3 enablement under 505(b)(2) regulatory pathway, encouraged by FDA's big data policy. Recent FDA commissioner's new policy of single registration trial as default policy is most encouraging. OTI pioneers big data for IOP and regulatory innovation, has a derisked, and clinically validated pre-Phase 3 asset (eye drops). Below are the key regulatory milestones:
January 13th 2026: Type D Meeting achieved FDA Alignment: OTI Simplified Phase 3 Pivotal Trial of OTI-2024 (Eye Drops) from 16-month dual indication trials to 6-month IOP Normalization with 3-month IOP Reduction as Primary Endpoint which ensures lowest risk with high probability to success.
October 23rd 2025: Type C Meeting established a clear roadmap of OTI-2024 (Trabodenoson) from reformulation & commercial CMC to IND clearance and Phase 3 enablement. No need for Phase 2 study.
August 19th 2024: OTI LLC submitted an Investigator-led IND Application under 505(b)(2)regulatory pathway (FDA big data policy). Pending for commercial CMC and a simple new formulation (eye drops) to open the new IND and considering breakthrough therapy designation request.
August 6th 2024: Type D meeting: OTI-2024 (Trabodenoson) is repositioned as a new MMP agent for treating glaucoma neural degeneration, FDA tentatively agreed with OTI’s Phase 3 pivotal trial plan: up to 18-month study with Humphrey visual field as the primary endpoint.
OTI-2024 (trabodenoson) is the first and best in class adenosone small molecule drug for treating poor responders and refactory glaucoma through tissue rejuvenation. OTI pioneers a novel matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) pathway-based therapy and setting new standard of IOP normalization for glaucoma, which will replace IOP reduction (as symptom relief) in the past 30 years.
OTI's big data approach is aligned with FDA Commissioner's Big Data Policy to accelerate curative medicine and breakthroughs for improving patients care.
OTI Joins MassBio and Cambridge Life Sciences Ecosystem
Massachusetts, USA [December 26th 2025]. Ophthalmic Therapeutic Innovation (OTI) is proud to join MassBio and Cambridge Scientific Lab as their membership, enabling deeper access to global innovation hub, world-class talent, translational expertise, and life science resources across Massachusetts. We extend our sincere thanks to Barbara Pearlman, CEO of Cambridge Scientific Labs (Watertown, MA), and Hawa Fall, PharmD, MBA, Manager of Business Development at Massachusetts Life Sciences Center for their welcoming OTI and invaluable support of our mission to end glaucoma blindness.
OTI’s engagement with the Massachusetts life science community dates back to the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time, OTI operated as a solo proprietary consulting enterprise and responded to MassBio’s COVID-19 Emergency Response, leading a UK–US strategic task force focused on emergency use of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) therapeutic development and medical risk mitigation, in partnership with the NHS-UK, FDA, HHS-US, and industry partners including Novartis and Sanofi.
Our task force played a pivotal role in identifying overdose and misuse risks associated with hydroxychloroquine (oral) which ultimately had led to the withdraw of HCQ use (oral) by FDA and WHO. At very early on, we suggested the dexamethasone repurposing for COVID19 treatment, through UK RECOVERY Trial, which demonstrated that dexamethasone reduced mortality by approximately one-third in severely ill COVID-19 patients, collectively helping save countless lives during the spring of 2020.
We are deeply grateful to our core team members: Tina Guanting Qiu, MD, PhD (MA), Clive Wilson, PhD, (UK), Ian Catchpole, PhD (UK), Andy Dunden, MS (UK), David Cipolla (NY), and to an extraordinary extended network of 30–40 leading scientific and regulatory advisors, including Prof. Bob Langer (MIT), Dr. Wiley Chambers (FDA), Dr. Marco Zarbin,MD, Peter Kaiser, MD, Prof. John Marshall, Dr. Peter Kaiser, Dr. Julia Haller, Dr. Andrew Dick, Stan Miele, and Paul Hartung (MassBio)—as well as senior leaders across Novartis (Len Arsenault), BARDA, NHS, Sanofi (Paul Hudson), McLane Middleton, GSK, and GLG Social Impact.
As OTI advances its lead glaucoma program and expands its clinical and operational footprint, we look forward to contributing meaningfully to the MassBio community and the broader Massachusetts life science ecosystem—continuing our commitment to scientific rigor, cross-sector collaboration, and transformative patient impact.
OTI Announces Bridge Financing led by Glaucoma Surgeons
Massachusetts, USA — [December 21st, 2025] — Ophthalmic Therapeutic Innovation (OTI), a clinical-stage ophthalmology company developing disease-modifying therapies for glaucoma, announced today the completion of a bridge financing with participation from two distinguished glaucoma specialists, Dr. Saya Nagori, MD, and Dr. Aman Shukairy, MD; Both have joined OTI's Clinical Advisory Board. Their timely contributions support OTI's core business operation including payrolls and patent procecution.
Both surgeon-investors are actively practicing glaucoma specialists with extensive first-hand experience treating patients with progressive and refractory glaucoma. Their investment reflects strong confidence in OTI-2024, patented, pre-Phase 3 small molecule adenosine drug, which is being developed as a first-in-class curative eye-drop for treating and preventing glaucomateous neural degeneration and clinically uncontrolled IOP through tissue rejuvenation.
“Having glaucoma surgeons invest in OTI is particularly meaningful,” said Tina Guanting Qiu, MD, PhD, EMBA, Founder and CEO of Ophthalmic Therapeutic Innovation. “Drs. Nagori and Shukairy deeply understand the unmet clinical needs in glaucoma care and recognize the potential of OTI-2024 to move beyond symptom relief IOP reduction toward long-term glaucoma disease control and visual field stability. Like anti-VEGF therapy for wet AMD, OTI-2024 derived MMP pathway based therapy is going to transform glaucoma patient care in decades to come”.
OTI-2024 (eye drops) is designed as a maintenance MMP therapy with following key features:
- IOP normalization & drug holiday with dosing flexibility.
- A breakthrough therapy with the potential to Stop glaucoma disease progression.
This differentiated approach aims to shift glaucoma treatment from continuous symptomatic management to sustained disease control.
Proceeds from the bridge financing will support continued intellectual property development, regulatory execution, and operational activities as OTI prepares for its next stage of institutional financing.
About Ophthalmic Therapeutic Innovation (OTI)
Ophthalmic Therapeutic Innovation is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing first/best-in-class, disease-modifying therapies for glaucoma. Its lead program, OTI-2024, aims to deliver a curative eye-drop therapy addressing long-term disease control and IOP stability.
The CEO of the Year Awards Northeast USA 2025 .
In the News
EXCELLENCE AWARDS ANNOUNCE 2025 WINNERS FOR NORTHEAST USA
Dr Tina Guanting Qiu is being recognized as the CEO of the Year Awards Northeast USA 2025 and her Innovation in Retinal Disease Treatments
CELEBRATING LEADERSHIP AND INNOVATION IN A DYNAMIC REGION
The Excellence Awards team is proud to unveil the recipients of the CEO of the Year Awards Northeast USA 2025. These awards honor CEOs who are driving transformation through bold vision, resilience, and innovation — each leaving a distinct mark on one of the most competitive regions in the United States.
Redefining Leadership in the Northeast
From New York to Boston, and from Philadelphia to Hartford — this year’s honorees embody the pioneering spirit of leadership in a region renowned for finance, healthcare, technology, and education. These CEOs are not just adapting to change; they are actively shaping the future.
In the Northeast, awardees are leading advancements in digital health, AI adoption, financial innovation, and community empowerment. They represent the unique blend of tradition and modernity that defines the region — balancing legacy institutions with cutting-edge transformation.
“Whether in Manhattan boardrooms or university innovation labs, today’s CEOs are visionaries who create impact well beyond their industries.” – Dr Yasemin Yazan, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of the Excellence Awards
OTI Welcomes Catherine G. Cohen as Strategic Board Advisor
Massachusetts, USA — [September 30th, 2025] — Ophthalmic Therapeutic Innovation (OTI), a clinical-stage ophthalmology company advancing disease-modifying therapies for glaucoma, today announced that Catherine Grealy Cohen has joined OTI as a Strategic Board Advisor.
As OTI enters this season of renewal and growth, the company is turning a new page while advancing its lead glaucoma clinical development program, OTI-2024, an investigational new drug representing the rebirth of Trabodenoson. After three years of disciplined bootstrapping, OTI has transformed a previously failed IOP-lowering drug into a first-in-class, potentially curative therapy with a novel mechanism focused on tissue rejuvenation and long-term disease modification. OTI-2024 is designed to address the most pressing unmet needs in glaucoma care, including poor responders, poor treatment adherence, and unstoppable vision loss, while setting a new standard for durable disease control.
“Setting new standards in medicine is never easy,” said Tina Guanting Qiu, MD, PhD, Founder and CEO of OTI. “At this critical stage of our growth, we are honored to welcome Catherine Grealy Cohen to OTI. Her leadership and deep experience in health policy and ophthalmology advocacy will be instrumental in increasing OTI’s visibility among regulatory policymakers and the broader ophthalmology community.” Catherine Grealy Cohen brings decades of distinguished leadership in government relations, health policy, and ophthalmology advocacy. After 25 years leading the Washington, D.C. office of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
“I am excited about OTI’s vision and its first curative solution for glaucoma,” said Catherine Grealy Cohen. “OTI is pioneering MMP-pathway–based therapy for glaucoma, with the potential to surpass the impact of anti-VEGF therapies by addressing both early- and late-stage glaucoma disease rate limiting root causes .”
Ms. Cohen previously served as Vice President and Senior Advisor to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, Director of Federal Affairs at Eastman Kodak, and Director of the Washington, D.C. office of the American Society of Clinical Pathologists.
She holds a Master’s degree in Health Services Administration (MHSA) from The George Washington University, is a Certified Association Executive, completed the Senior Managers in Government Program, Policy and Management at Harvard Kennedy School, and earned a BA in Political Science and Asian Studies from Regis College.
“On behalf of OTI, I thank our supporters, advisors, and partners for standing with us as we work to fulfill our mission,” Dr. Qiu added. “Together, we are committed to delivering a long-awaited cure and eradicating glaucoma-related blindness.
OTI Expands New Management Team
8/31/2025, Massachusetts
OTI is Building a High-Standard Governance Platform
As OTI prepare for the next stage of growth, we are establishing a robust corporate governance framework—including policies, rules, and a compliance system—that will ensure OTI operates with transparency, fairness, and accountability. This foundation will provide investors and partners with confidence that contributions are safeguarded and aligned with value creation.
In support of this, OTI have appointed Hugh P. Cam, PhD, EMBA, as Vice President of Operations and Corporate Secretary (recordkeeping capacity). Hugh is Harvard trained human genetic expert, has worked with OTI since last April, brings scientific acumen, startup entrepreneurial and management experience from MIT, with EMBA on finance accouting proficiency, and will play a pivotal role in ensuring our compliance and operational readiness.
Looking Ahead
With breakthrough science and high-standard corporate governance, OTI is positioned to attract top-tier investors and world-class board members. Our mission remains clear: to deliver the first curative therapy for refractory glaucoma, addressing an urgent unmet need for patients and transforming a market that has seen little innovation in 30 years.
Advanced our pioneering science: “We pioneer MMP pathway–based therapy via tissue rejuvenation that can reverse tissue damage causing vision loss in patients with glaucoma. Like anti-VEGF for retina, it’s transformative medicine.” – Dr. Tina Guanting Qiu, Founder & CEO.
OTI Presented at Future Ophthalmology Forum
July 11th 2025, OTI has been selected to present at 2025 Future Ophthalmology Forum -Europeon Forum as Private Company Showcase at on September 11, 2025 at Copenhagan, Demark. Prior, OTI has been participating Future Ophthalmology Forum since 2021, and made presentations as Private Company Showcase in 2023 European Forum at Vienna, Austria, and 2024 European Forum at Bacelona, Spain. Video recordings: https://www.ophthalmology-futures.com/past-forums/
Revolutionizing Modern Medicine Development
OTI Participated on FDA Hosted CEO Forum in Boston, Massachusetts
June 17th, 2025, I had the pleasure to attend FDA commissioner hosted CEO Forums in Boston during 2025 BIO Convention, along with ~120 CEOs and executive leaders from Massachussetts and the NE region. My big takehome message from the new administration is FDA's Priorities at big data frontier, FDA encourages biotech Pharma to leverage big data real world evidence for regulatory submission, which helps to reduce costs and accelerate medicine innovation, focusing on curative (doi: 10.1001/jama.2025.10116). At the forum, I had a chance to share my views about the need for increasing the bar for drug efficacy scruitiny at early stage clinical development. Traditionally, as long as a drug is safe, FDA gives a green light. This has to change with increased big data and AI tools. We are very appreciative of this informative and direct dialogues with Dr. Marty A. Makary, M.D., M.P.H and sharing our concerns, feedback and suggestions. OTI's big data strategy is aligned with FDA's real word evidence policy, OTI is a pioneer in leveraging big data to solve the biggest problems - 90% failure in medicine development.
OTI's Founder/CEO
Marquis Who's Who America
Dr. Tina Guanting Qiu, Founder and CEO of Ophthalmic Therapeutic Innovation (OTI), has been recognized in the 2024 edition of Marquis Who’s Who in America, joining a distinguished list of accomplished professionals. She was first honored by Marquis in 2021 for Excellence in Ophthalmology and subsequently received the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award and the Marquis Humanitarian Award in 2023. In 2024, Dr. Qiu was named "Top Physician, Entrepreneur & Innovator of the Year" by the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP), which further recognized her leadership as the "Empowered Woman of the Year 2025."
A naturalized U.S. citizen, Dr. Qiu has dedicated over 25 years to advancing ophthalmic therapeutic innovation, spanning stem cell transplantation, gene therapy, and drug discovery & medicine innovation. She is accomplished ophthalmic surgeon and stem cell biologist, by pioneering big data, she became the sole inventor of the MMP-based platform therapy for glaucoma—a novel approach targeting IOP normalization via tissue rejuvenation to halt and reverse vision loss. Her work integrates clinical insight, translational science, and big data analytics which is redefining glaucoma specialty care in decades to come.
Dr. Qiu has been selected by International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP)-2025.
The Great Work of Your Life Interview with Tina Guanting Qiu, MD, Ph.D. EMBA
Dr Qiu Recognized by Marquis Who's Who
Peabody, Massachusetts: Dr Tina Guanting Qiu has been recognized as Excellence in Ophthalmology by Marquis Who's Who in 2021. https://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release/483959/dr-tina-guanting-qiu-recognized-by-marquis-whos-who-for-excellence-in-ophthalmology
OTI Established Top Scientific Medical Advisory Board
OTI-2024 - the first in class, best in class MMP Therapy for curing glaucoma blindness.
As OTI is re-introducing Trabodenoson/OTI-2024 as the first in class and first curative therapy for treating refractory glaucoma and glauocmateous neural degeneration, we are honored to have onboarded four world- class scientific medical advisors to help enducate the scientific patient community of MMP based therapeutic platform, featuring OTI-2024 derived MMP therapy, as the first in class and best in class adenosine derived MMP therapy, it is the best in this new therapeutic domain (better than Durysta (One time), iDose (one time) and SLT laser.
1. First in class and best in class Adenosine drug.
Dr Louis Cantor: "OTI-2024 (Trabodenoson) is a first-in-class and best-in-class adenosine drug that demonstrates superior clinical safety and potent matrix metalloproteinase-14 (MMP-14) therapeutic potency compared to prostaglandin analogs. It holds the potential to provide lifelong glaucoma management by disease stabilizationthrough tissue rejuvenation with repeated dosing—administered either as eye drops or via a sustained-release (SR) implant.”
OTI Pioneer in Big Data for IP Innovation
OTI Patent Update
May 1st 2025. OTI (Massachusetts) announces its 2nd PCT publication: WO2025090106 - COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR TREATING NEURAL DEGENERATION IN GLAUCOMA AND RELATED CONDITIONS. This patent protects the breakthrough discovery of glaucoma disease root cause and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) platform therapy for treating glaucoma neural degeneration via IOP normalization (new). OTI is creating a new MMP therapeutic market for glaucoma specialty care.
March 10, 2025. OTI (Massachusetts) announces the completion of the first PCT national phase filings with US, EU, Canada, Australia, Japan, China, and India. PCT #1 Pub Number: WO2024030766 - METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS FOR THE TREATMENT OF GLAUCOMA AND RELATED CONDITIONS.
Big Data for Medicine Innovation: Regulatory & IP Landscape.
October 17th 2024. OTI CEO Organized MDG-Boston Seminar
The 21st century ushers us into an information explosive era in modern medicine development. At the cusp of biology and technology convergences, medical breakthroughs sprout from the tiding waves of big data surge in this ever-changing modern world. In this special edition of MDG Boston roundtable discussions, we have invited our special guests, Professor Robert Langer at MIT, and Dr Janet Woodcock, former acting FDA commissioner, and Chris Cowles, IP Expert, Partner at Whither & Bergman to dive into some of the most exciting new frontiers where “big data” is help shaping the future landscape of regulatory, IP, platform technology and more. Watch the recordings: https://www.mdgboston.org/event/the-extraordinary-impact-of-big-data-on-biomedical-innovation-platfo