New Insight: A Look at Corneal Transplant Alternatives w/ John Sheets, PhD

Corneal blindness has a significant public health impact, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where access to eye care is limited. It can contribute to a high burden of disability, affecting individuals' quality of life and economic productivity, while straining healthcare systems with the need for preventive measures, surgical treatments, and rehabilitation services.

In the latest episode of New Insight, host Veeral Sheth, MD is joined by John Sheets, PhD, the president, chief executive officer, and co-founder of Pantheon Vision, a pioneering early research-stage organization working to develop bioengineered solutions to eliminate corneal blindness and restore sight to millions.

As part of its mission, Pantheon is dedicated to reducing reliance on donated corneal tissues to address corneal blindness. Although corneal transplant surgery has long been the gold standard, there remains significant room for improvement in graft acceptance, vision restoration, and long-term outcomes to better combat corneal blindness.

In this episode, the experts explored Sheet's background, including his past work in the ophthalmology industry, at companies including Alcon, Bausch + Lomb, and Stealth Therapeutics, plus his time at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), working as director in the office of medical device evaluation. The two experts talk about the company's mission and how Sheet's experience has provided the necessary background to lead a company looking to address a significant public health issue at the global level.

Every episode of New Insight is available on HCPLive.com. Watch full episodes on our YouTube channel and listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Direct all podcast-related inquiries to show producer Connor Iapoce and keep an eye out for more from New Insight!