Opthea (OPT) Appoints Kathy Connell to its Board

Opthea Limited (NASDAQ: OPT) today announced the appointment of Kathy Connell, GAICD, to the Board of Directors (the “Board”) as a Non-Executive Director. Ms. Connell’s appointment was effective immediately after the Annual General Meeting of the Company on November 15, 2024.

Ms. Connell is a commercial executive with deep business development expertise across pharmaceutical, vaccine, medtech, consumer and digital health industries. Her track record of translating global commercial strategies into impactful business results and shareholder value will be instrumental as Opthea prepares for the topline data readout of its pivotal program of sozinibercept in wet AMD. Ms. Connell is currently Senior Client Partner and Head of Healthcare and Life Sciences Australia/New Zealand at Korn Ferry. She also serves as Non-Executive Director at Avecho Biotechnology Ltd (ASX: AVE), Proto Axiom (a biotech investment company with an incubation arm) and BioNSW (life sciences association for NSW, Australia).

“We are pleased to welcome Kathy Connell to Opthea’s Board of Directors. Her wealth of experience in driving strategic growth and business success in the global healthcare industry will be an invaluable asset as the Company prepares for the sozinibercept Phase 3 data readout and subsequent regulatory and commercial milestones. We believe sozinibercept could represent a medical breakthrough for the treatment of wet AMD,” said Jeremy Levin, D.Phil, MB BChir, Chairman of the Board of Opthea.

“Opthea’s innovative approach to delivering superior visual outcomes for patients with blinding eye diseases has the potential to bring life-changing vision improvements to individuals with wet AMD around the world,” said Kathy Connell. “I am honored to join the Opthea team and be part of this journey. I’m excited to work with Opthea’s Board of Directors and the Executive Team to help drive the Company’s success as we enter this promising new phase of growth.”

The Company also notes that Megan Baldwin, PhD, MAICD, retired from the Board as Executive Director, in accordance with ASX Listing Rules. Dr. Baldwin will continue to advance Opthea’s innovation agenda in her executive role as Founder and Chief Innovation Officer (CIO) of the Company.

“On behalf of Opthea organization, I want to thank Dr. Baldwin for her many years of dedicated Board service and express my gratitude for her continued, active engagement as Opthea’s Founder and CIO,” Dr. Levin concluded.

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