Retinal Disease Expert Dr. Taiji Sakamoto Joins Kiora Pharmaceuticals' Scientific Advisory Board
Rhea-AI Summary
Kiora Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: KPRX) appointed retina specialist Dr. Taiji Sakamoto to its Scientific Advisory Board on January 27, 2026. Dr. Sakamoto, chair of ophthalmology at Kagoshima University, will advise on clinical and scientific strategy for retinal therapeutics including non-steroidal approaches such as KIO-104. He has led research in diabetic retinopathy, retinal surgery, ocular angiogenesis, published over 460 peer-reviewed papers and held leadership roles in JRVS and international ophthalmology organizations.
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News Market Reaction
On the day this news was published, KPRX declined 0.48%, reflecting a mild negative market reaction. Our momentum scanner triggered 2 alerts that day, indicating moderate trading interest and price volatility. This price movement removed approximately $39K from the company's valuation, bringing the market cap to $8M at that time.
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Encinitas, California--(Newsfile Corp. - January 27, 2026) - Kiora Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: KPRX) has appointed leading retina specialist, Dr. Taiji Sakamoto, an expert in the treatment of retinal disease, to its Scientific Advisory Board. As an advisor, Dr. Sakamoto, currently the Chair of Ophthalmology at Kagoshima University, will contribute clinical and scientific insights to Kiora as it develops new therapeutics to address retinal diseases with high unmet needs.
"As we deepen our understanding of inflammatory pathways in retinal disease, it is increasingly important to pursue therapeutic options that do not rely on chronic steroid use," explained Dr. Sakamoto. "Non-steroidal approaches such as KIO-104 represent an important direction for the field, aiming to manage inflammation while avoiding many of the limitations associated with steroids. I look forward to contributing to the advancement of these efforts as part of Kiora's Scientific Advisory Board."
Dr. Sakamoto's research and clinical interests involve diabetic retinopathy, retinal surgery and ocular angiogenesis. He developed triamcinolone-assisted vitrectomy and the Japan-Retinal Detachment Registry. He has published more than 460 peer-reviewed papers with an h-index of 62 as of June 2025. Additionally, he developed an AI based OCT-algorithm, which is installed with several commercial machines. He is currently a Co-Editor-in-Chief of Graefe's Archives of Ophthalmology, and Editor-in-Chief of JRVS Times.
"We welcome Dr. Taiji Sakamoto, a leading retina specialist, to Kiora's Scientific Advisory Board," added Eric Daniels, MD, MBA, Chief Development Officer of Kiora. "His extensive expertise in retinal disease and clinical research will provide valuable guidance as we continue advancing our development programs. We look forward to his contributions as we work to bring meaningful solutions to patients."
Dr. Taiji Sakamoto graduated from Kyushu University, Japan in 1985. He completed his residency and proceeded to attain fellowships in ophthalmology at Kyushu University, Japan. He then moved to the Doheny Eye Institute as a visiting faculty member at the University of Southern California between 1992-1995. He was the Vice President of Kagoshima University, Japan and the President of the Japan Retina Vitreous Society (JRVS, 2020-2025). Internationally, he is a board member of ICO, (The International Council of Ophthalmology), a member of AOI (Academia Ophthalmologica Internationalis) and the Club Jules Gonin, and a Fellow of ARVO. He has been the recipient of many scientific awards, including the Pfizer Ophthalmic Awards, ARVO Gold Fellow, and Kreissig Awardee from Euretina, among others.
About Kiora Pharmaceuticals
Kiora Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing advanced therapies for retinal disease. We target critical pathways underlying retinal diseases using innovative small molecules to slow, stop, or restore vision loss. KIO-104 is being developed for the treatment of retinal inflammation. It is a next-generation, non-steroidal, immuno-modulatory, and small-molecule inhibitor of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH). KIO-301 is being developed for the treatment of retinitis pigmentosa, choroideremia, and Stargardt disease. It is a molecular photoswitch that has the potential to restore vision in patients with inherited and/or age-related retinal degeneration.
In addition to news releases and SEC filings, we expect to post information on our website, www.kiorapharma.com, and social media accounts that could be relevant to investors. We encourage investors to follow us on X and LinkedIn as well as to visit our website and/or subscribe to email alerts.
Forward-Looking Statements
Some of the statements in this press release are "forward-looking" and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These "forward-looking" statements include statements relating to, among other things, Kiora's ability to execute on development and commercialization efforts and other regulatory or marketing approval efforts pertaining to Kiora's development-stage products, including KIO-104 and KIO-301, as well as the success thereof, with such approvals or success may not be obtained or achieved on a timely basis or at all, the sufficiency of existing cash on hand to fund operations for specific periods, the projected cash runway, and Kiora's plans to further fund development of KIO-104. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause results to differ materially from the statements set forth in this press release, including, among other things, the ability to satisfy the closing conditions related to the offering ,the ability to conduct clinical trials on a timely basis, market and other conditions and certain risk factors described under the heading "Risk Factors" contained in Kiora's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 25, 2025 or described in Kiora's other public filings including on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on November 7, 2025. Kiora's results may also be affected by factors of which Kiora is not currently aware. The forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. Kiora expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to such statements to reflect any change in its expectations with regard thereto or any changes in the events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law.
Contacts:
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To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281713
FAQ
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