Aerie Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of first-in-class therapies for the treatment of glaucoma and other diseases of the eye, has announced the appointment of Huan Sheng, M.D., Ph.D., as director of Clinical Research and Drug Safety, reporting to Kristine Erickson, O.D., Ph.D., Aerie’s vice president of Clinical Research.

Dr. Sheng will be responsible for the development and implementation of Aerie’s drug safety surveillance and clinical research strategy, and the management and oversight of Aerie’s clinical development and drug safety programs. Dr. Sheng was most recently senior clinical lead in Alcon’s Global Clinical and Regulatory Affairs organization. In addition to previous experience at the Vistakon Division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, as a senior clinical research scientist/clinical project lead, Dr. Sheng also has extensive academic ophthalmology experience. Dr. Sheng is a licensed ophthalmologist and also holds a Ph.D. in Vision Science.

In connection with her acceptance of the position as director of Clinical Research and Drug Safety, Dr. Sheng will receive an award of 16,000 stock options. The stock options will vest over four years, with 25% vesting on the first anniversary of the hire date and the remainder vesting ratably on each of the subsequent 36 monthly anniversaries of the hire date. This award was made outside of Aerie’s stockholder-approved equity incentive plan and was approved by the company’s independent directors as an inducement material to Dr. Sheng’s entering into employment with the company in reliance on NASDAQ Listing Rule 5635(c)(4), which requires the public announcement.