Aurion Biotech Appoints World Renowned Cornea Surgeon Marjan Farid, M.D., to Chair Medical Advisory Board

SEATTLE & CAMBRIDGE, Mass. & TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aurion Biotech, Inc. (“Aurion”), a commercial-stage regenerative cell therapy company dedicated to restoring vision and working toward a future where blindness is eliminated, today announced the appointment of Dr. Marjan Farid of the Gavin Herbert Eye Institute at the University of California-Irvine (UCI) as Chair of Aurion Biotech’s medical advisory board (MAB). Dr. Farid is a distinguished cornea, cataract and refractive surgeon, a global educator and researcher, and Chair of the Cornea Clinical Committee of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS).

"Aurion welcomes a deeply respected clinical leader whose unique experience and leadership will bring critical insights to guide the company through the next stage of development and beyond,” said Edward J. Holland, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Aurion Biotech. “Dr. Farid has spent her career advancing patient care, driving innovation, and informing strategic decision-making. Her expertise will complement Aurion’s MAB as we grow our pipeline of transformative regenerative medicines.”

Dr. Farid is the Director of Cornea, Cataract, and Refractive Surgery and a Clinical Professor at the Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, UCI. She established the UCI Severe Ocular Surface Disease Program, the first Center of Excellence supported by the Holland Foundation for Sight Restoration, to deliver advanced care to patients and shape the future of this specialized field. Her expertise in refractive, cataract and corneal surgery, complex intraocular lens surgery, and all types of corneal and ocular surface transplantation has established her as an internationally recognized leader in ophthalmology. Dr. Farid is active on the national ophthalmic education platforms and currently serves on the Leadership Committee at ASCRS. Her research is widely published, and she serves as editor of Steinert’s Cataract Surgery and sole editor of In-Office Corneal Procedures.

“I’ve dedicated my career to advancing patient care and addressing some of the most complex unmet needs in ophthalmology,” said Dr. Farid. “Aurion is on the cusp of transforming corneal care in the United States and restoring vision for millions of patients worldwide. I’m honored to be part of this incredible endeavor to bring a potential cure for blindness caused by corneal endothelial disease.”

“Dr. Farid’s patient-centered body of work aligns with our mission of developing innovative regenerative therapies with the potential to transform patients’ lives. Her commitment to patients mirrors our own—that the most transformative medicine begins and ends with the people it serves,” said Eris Jordan, O.D., Chief Development Officer, Aurion Biotech. “Dr. Farid will be an incredible asset to our company and to the future of cornea care.”

About Aurion Biotech

Aurion Biotech, Inc.’s (Aurion) mission is to restore vision to millions of patients with life-changing regenerative cell therapy. Aurion is a commercial stage company in Japan and a clinical stage company in Phase 3 development in the U.S. The company is developing AURN001, an investigational, single-administration, allogeneic cell therapy for corneal endothelial disease, a condition that causes progressive vision loss in millions of patients worldwide. In 2024, Aurion launched Vyznova^TM, the first cell therapy for corneal endothelial disease commercially available in Japan. Aurion received the prestigious Prix Galien award for Best Start-Up in Biotech in 2022. In 2025, Alcon acquired majority ownership of Aurion Biotech. For more information, visit www.aurionbiotech.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the clinical development, potential benefits, manufacturing capacity, regulatory status, and timing of future clinical trials of AURN001. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including those related to clinical trial design, patient enrollment, safety and efficacy results, regulatory review and approval, manufacturing, supply, and other factors. Aurion undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release.

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