This CEO Wants To Beat Blindness – Ocugen, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and Co-founder $OCGN
Guest: Dr. Shankar Musunuri – Ocugen, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and Co-founder
Website:
www.ocugen.com
Ticker: OCGN
Bio:
Dr. Shankar Musunuri is Chairman, CEO and Co-Founder of Ocugen. The company (NASDAQ: OCGN) is a publicly traded biotechnology company focused on discovery, development, commercialization of gene therapies, cell therapies, biologicals, and vaccines, based in Malvern, Pennsylvania. Dr. Musunuri transformed Ocugen from a start-up into a cutting-edge science-based biotech powerhouse with three distinct first-in-class platform technologies focused on ophthalmology with a first-in-class modifier gene Therapy platform targeting rare as well as large blindness diseases, orthopedics with a regenerative cell therapy platform, and infectious diseases with an inhalation vaccine platform targeting Covid-19, flu, and a combination vaccine for both COVID-19 and flu. Ocugen anticipates launching products from these game-changing platform technologies within the next few years. The company’s mission is to develop cutting-edge innovations for people with serious diseases and conditions with a commitment to ensuring global market access.
Dr. Musunuri is a seasoned biotech veteran with 30+ years’ experience advancing and commercializing a diverse portfolio of products. Prior to co-founding Ocugen in 2013, he held leadership roles at numerous companies ranging from large multinational biotechnology companies such as Wyeth and Pfizer, to novel start-up biotech companies. During his 15 years at Pfizer, he gained extensive product launch and life-cycle management experience including leading the Global Operations Team for Prevnar 13, the world’s best-selling vaccine. Dr. Musunuri then founded Nuron Biotech, Inc., which grew into a commercial company in less than three years.
Dr. Musunuri obtained his PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Connecticut—where he also received a Distinguished Alumnus Award. He also received an MBA from Duke University, where today he serves on the University’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship Board of Advisors. Dr. Musunuri serves as both CEO and Chairman of the board of Ocugen. He has received numerous leadership awards including Most Admired CEO Award by Philadelphia Business Journal, the 2023 Healthcare Power 100 (ranked 22nd) in PA and the 2023 AAPI Power 100 (ranked 11th) in PA. He is also a Board Member of the Musunuri Family Foundation, a non-profit that provides college scholarships for high school students. Dr. Musunuri has a passion for addressing diseases and conditions which lack effective treatments. This commitment is reflected in Ocugen’s mission of relentlessly pursuing courageous innovation on behalf of patients with unmet medical needs.
About Ocugen, Inc.
Ocugen, Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing novel gene and cell therapies, biologics, and vaccines that improve health and offer hope for patients across the globe. We are making an impact on patients’ lives through courageous innovation—forging new scientific paths that harness our unique intellectual and human capital. Our breakthrough modifier gene therapy platform has the potential to treat multiple retinal diseases with a single product, and we are advancing research in infectious diseases to support public health and orthopedic diseases to address unmet medical needs.
Discover more at www.ocugen.com
