iSTAR Medical Welcomes Two New Members to its C-Suite

iSTAR Medical is strengthening its leadership team with the addition of Richard (Rick) Beckman, M.D., as chief medical officer (CMO) and board member, and Kristine (Kris) Curtiss as vice president of Clinical Affairs.

“We are delighted to welcome Rick and Kris to our leadership team. Their combined global experience in clinical, regulatory, and medical affairs will be instrumental in guiding the company towards delivering breakthrough eye care solutions to a greater number of patients in additional global territories,” iSTAR Medical CEO Michel Vanbrabant said.
 
Beckman’s CMO duties will cross clinical, regulatory, and medical affairs. He brings deep insight and experience from his previous roles as a CMO, most recently at Adverum, and has an extensive background in the medical and surgical management of glaucoma as well as in glaucoma pharmaceutical and device development. Based in the United States, Beckman will be critical to successfully developing the company’s clinical programs and will report to the CEO Michel Vanbrabant.

Kaweh Mansouri, M.D., is stepping down as CMO to focus on his appointment as executive vice president of the World Glaucoma Association, but will continue to be a consultant to the company as a senior medical advisor.

Beckman is a board-certified ophthalmologist and fellowship trained glaucoma specialist as well as a seasoned professional with extensive experience in the healthcare and biotechnology sectors. He was previously CMO at Adverum Biotechnologies, ReNeuron, as well as Clearside Biomedical. He was formerly the head of the glaucoma therapeutic area at Alcon. Beckman is currently the principal at RLB M.D. Consulting and serves on the board of OceanZero US.

Beckman earne a medical degree from University of Michigan and completed his ophthalmology residency at Henry Ford Hospital, after which he completed a glaucoma fellowship at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary/Harvard Medical School.

“I want to extend my gratitude to Kaweh for his significant contributions to iSTAR Medical thus far, which has helped us establish a global reputation for MINIject as a safe and effective treatment option for glaucoma patients. We congratulate him and wish him the best of luck with his role as executive vice president of the World Glaucoma Association,” Beckman stated.
 
Curtiss has more than 20 years of clinical research experience and has held senior positions in biotech, medical device, and large pharma companies. She will lead iSTAR Medical’s clinical organization including its STAR-V trial and will report to Beckman. Former Clinical Affairs Vice President David Stocker will return to his previous responsibilities as vice president of Sales, Marketing, and Training.
 
Curtiss was previously vice president of Clinical Operations at Iveric Bio Inc., and prior to that held leadership positions at ophthalmic startups including PanOptica, Oraya Therapeutics, and OPKO. During her career, Curtiss has been a major contributor to five successful marketing applications, including Iverzay for Geographic Atrophy and Macugen for exudative age-related macular degeneration.

Curtiss earned a bachelor of science degree in chemistry from the University of Delaware and a graduate certificate in project management from Rutgers University School of Business.

MINIject is iSTAR Medical’s MIGS device for patients with primary open-angle glaucoma. MINIject combines the porous structure of its proprietary STAR material with the power offered by the supraciliary space. As a result, it is designed to enhance natural fluid outflow, reducing intraocular pressure (IOP) and the need for medication, while bio-integrating with surrounding tissue, limiting inflammation, fibrosis and subsequent complications.
 
Glaucoma is a progressive disease affecting more than 100 million people globally, of which primary open-angle glaucoma is the most common form.^1,2 IOP reduction, through medication or surgery, helps delay disease progression.³ Medication is generally the first line treatment, but the progressive addition of multiple drops can burden patients with side effects, compliance challenges and costs.^2,3 Invasive surgery can present risks with irreversible complications and often requires long-term patient management.^2,3  MIGS is the most promising and fastest-growing glaucoma therapy due to its enhanced safety profile.² 
 
iSTAR Medical aims to deliver breakthrough eye care solutions. MINIject is approved in Europe to treat open-angle glaucoma—the leading cause of irreversible blindness—and the company is working to obtain market approval in the U.S. The MINIject’s distinctive tissue-integrating capabilities unlock a safer, and more effective option for patients, according to iSTAR Medical. iSTAR Medical is an independent company which entered a strategic partnership with AbbVie in July 2022. The collaboration further supports MINIject’s role in treating glaucoma and accelerates iSTAR Medical’s goal to bring MINIject to more patients globally while providing AbbVie the opportunity to further expand its eye care portfolio.

References 
¹ Jonas JB, Aung T, Bourne RR et al. “Glaucoma”. Lancet 2017; 390: 2083–93
² Market Scope, “2023 Glaucoma Surgical Device Market Report”, July 2023. 
³ “European Glaucoma Society Terminology and Guidelines for Glaucoma”, 4th Edition: British Journal of Ophthalmology. 2017;101:1-195 https://bjo.bmj.com/content/101/5/73