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Clearside Biomedical
Clearside Biomedical develops a suprachoroidal injection platform delivering drugs to the retina.
Clearside Biomedical
Clearside Biomedical was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia. The company was established to advance a drug-delivery technology invented at Georgia Tech and Emory University, targeting diseases of the retina and choroid. President and CEO George Lasezkay, a former executive at Prometheus Laboratories and Acadia Pharmaceuticals, joined in 2018. The firm operates as a publicly traded clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company (NASDAQ: CLSD). The company's strategy centers on its SCS Microinjector, a patented device that accesses the suprachoroidal space — a compartment between the sclera and choroid — to administer small-molecule and biologic therapies. Clearside's lead program, XIPERE (triamcinolone acetonide injectable suspension), secured FDA approval in 2021 for macular edema associated with uveitis (per the firm, 2021). The commercial rights for XIPERE were licensed to Bausch + Lomb in North America and to Arctic Vision in Greater China and South Korea. Additional pipeline assets target neovascular age-related macular degeneration and diabetic macular edema. The firm publishes preclinical and clinical data demonstrating that suprachoroidal delivery achieves higher retinal drug concentration with lower systemic exposure than intravitreal administration. Clearside operates a lean, development-focused structure with fewer than 50 employees. It has raised capital through public offerings and a licensing deal with Bausch + Lomb that included a $5M equity investment (per company filings, 2019). A follow-on public offering in April 2023 brought in approximately $10M. The firm's clinical pipeline relies on investigator-sponsored trials and strategic partnerships rather than a large internal clinical operations team. Clearside's structural differentiator is its singular focus on suprachoroidal delivery — a route of administration that remains underutilized in ophthalmology. While most retinal-drug developers compete on molecular targets, Clearside competes on the delivery modality itself, positioning the SCS Microinjector as a platform that can be paired with multiple drug candidates. That platform-centric model, paired with a regional-licensing commercialization strategy, allows the firm to advance a pipeline without building a commercial sales force.
General information
Firm type
Asset Manager
Year founded
2011
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Alpharetta
Corporate office
Alpharetta, GA, United States
Principals
George Lasezkay
President and Chief Executive Officer
Thomas Ciulla
Chief Medical Officer
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
What is the FDA-approved product from Clearside Biomedical?
XIPERE (triamcinolone acetonide injectable suspension) received FDA approval in October 2021 for the treatment of macular edema associated with uveitis, based on the pivotal PEACHTREE clinical trial. The drug is administered via Clearside's SCS Microinjector into the suprachoroidal space. Commercial rights in North America are held by Bausch + Lomb under an exclusive license.
Who are Clearside's commercialization partners, and what geographies do they cover?
Bausch + Lomb holds exclusive commercial rights for XIPERE in the United States and Canada. Arctic Vision holds exclusive rights for Greater China and South Korea. The firm retains rights for other territories and has indicated a strategy of securing additional regional partners for its pipeline candidates.
How does suprachoroidal delivery differ from intravitreal injection?
Suprachoroidal injection delivers medication between the sclera and choroid, targeting the posterior segment of the eye. Clearside's published data show this route achieves higher drug concentration in the retina and choroid while limiting exposure to the anterior segment and systemic circulation. Intravitreal injection, the standard of care for most retinal diseases, disperses drug throughout the vitreous cavity and exposes anterior structures, which can elevate intraocular pressure and accelerate cataract formation.
What is Clearside's current clinical pipeline?
The firm's pipeline includes CLS-AX (axitinib injectable suspension) for neovascular age-related macular degeneration, which completed a Phase 1/2a trial called OASIS. Additional preclinical programs explore suprachoroidal delivery of gene-therapy vectors and other biologics. The company works through investigator-sponsored trials and collaborative agreements rather than building a large internal clinical operations organization.
How is Clearside Biomedical funded?
Clearside is a publicly traded company on Nasdaq (ticker: CLSD). It has funded operations through public equity offerings — including a $10M raise in April 2023 — as well as non-dilutive licensing revenue from Bausch + Lomb and Arctic Vision. The 2019 Bausch + Lomb deal included a $5M equity investment and up to $45M in sales-based milestones.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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