Thomas Ciulla

Background

About Thomas Ciulla

I have 25 years of executive management, academic leadership & clinical research experience, spanning angiogenesis, drug delivery, gene therapy, rare & autoimmune disease. As CMO, CDO & EVP at Clearside, I guided preclinical & clinical development, supported an NDA to first FDA approval of a suprachoroidal therapy (Xipere, a drug-device combo), led an IND submission with development of a new clinical program & successful P1/2a trial (CLS-AX, a TKI), supported corporate partnerships (Regenxbio, Aura, Bausch, Arctic), & interfaced with investors & analysts. Previously at Spark, I led medical strategy through approval & commercialization of Luxturna, the first FDA-approved gene therapy for inherited disease. The launch mandated an innovative ecosystem for this orphan gene therapy: introducing a genetic testing program (“ID Your IRD”), training gene therapy treatment centers on new procedures, educating on novel endpoints (MLMT) & developing new HEOR models (IRD health utilities, CEA & ICER, P4P programs). Roche ultimately acquired Spark for $4.3B. Previously at Ophthotech (now Iveric), I contributed to protocol & analysis plan for the first successful AMD/Geo Atrophy P3 trial (GATHER1) of an anti-complement (Avacincaptad, NDA now under FDA priority review). After graduating from Harvard College & UCSF Med School, I completed internal medicine internship, ophthalmology residency & retina fellowship at Harvard & Tufts, training under key early innovators in OCT, PDT & anti-VEGF therapy. I progressed to tenured Associate Professor & Co-Director of the retina service & ocular angiogenesis research lab at Indiana University School of Medicine, the largest US med school with 9 campuses. I published numerous preclinical & clinical papers, built a large research-focused practice & earned an MBA from Indiana University, specializing in business of medicine. I held numerous leadership roles in clinical research, including PI, medical monitor & member of SAB, DSMB or writing committees in >100 national clinical trials. I serve on journal editorial boards, edited textbooks & co-authored >300 papers, including the first published US-based randomized trial of an intravitreal therapy in AMD. I remain a volunteer Clinical Professor & board member of Midwest Eye Institute, one of the largest subspecialty ophthalmology institutes in the Midwest. I am board-certified, fellow of the American Society of Retina Specialists & member of the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy, ARVO, AAO, Macula & Retina Societies.