Articles | Lexitas

Why Expertise in Ophthalmic Clinical Trials Matters for Medical and Protocol Writing

Why Expertise in Ophthalmic Clinical Trials Matters for Medical and Protocol Writing By Silke Thode In the complex and specialized world of ophthalmology clinical trials, the importance of precise and expert medical writing cannot be overstated. Medical writing is a discipline that demands not only a thorough understanding of the scientific content but also an […]

Lexitas CEO Jeanne Hecht On Trends And Challenges In Ophthalmology Clinical Trials

Lexitas recently welcomed our new CEO Jeanne Hecht, who has spent her career in leadership and board positions at top healthcare companies. As an industry executive for over 20 years, Jeanne has witnessed massive change in the healthcare industry at large – and is especially excited about the immense opportunities in ophthalmology. She shares her […]

Using AI in the Development of New Ophthalmic Treatment

The following is a transcript of a Q&A interview on the use of AI in ophthalmology clinical trials. What are the specific opportunities and benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) in clinical trials? In recent years, the big shift that we’re seeing in clinical trials is that the typical way to think about clinical trials was […]

Speeding Ophthalmic Trial Execution with an In-House Reading Center

Why working with an in-house reading center is crucial to ophthalmic trial successBy: Brittany Chung, Sr. Manager, Reading Center While external reading centers are commonplace in most ophthalmology trials, for many companies, these services can drive up costs and threaten critical timelines. Outsourcing to external centers no longer works given the highly competitive and resource-constrained […]

Development In Virtual Reality Testing As A Standardized Clinical End Point (via Modern Retina)

Development in virtual reality (VR) headsets creates a possibility that VR mobility assessments could become standard for clinical trial efficacy end points. See more from Drs. Winston Posvar, Andrew D. Pucker, and George Magrath in Modern Retina See More Our In Focus newsletter is published once a month and has thousands of subscribers. To help you keep in touch, you can subscribe here.

Dr. Sally Tucker On The Evolution Of Ophthalmic Trials

We are delighted to introduce Sally Tucker as the President of Lexitas Global Services, where she will be responsible for steering the continued development and expansion of our existing capabilities outside of the United States. We chatted with Sally about her role, her vision, and what practical advice she has for sponsors looking to run […]

Managing Drug Shortages In Retina Care

“These lessons are not only pertinent to ophthalmologists, but also to the pharmaceutical companies that market retina drugs,” say Dr. Roger Goldberg and Dr. George Magrath about how to manage shortages in retina care.” See More Our In Focus newsletter is published once a month and has thousands of subscribers. To help you keep in touch, you can […]

From Operating Room To Board Room w/ George Magrath, M.D.

The following is a summary the Totally Clinical podcast with Dr. George Magrath, the CEO of Lexitas Pharma Services, a contract research organization focused on ophthalmic drug development. What sets George apart is his dual role as a physician actively practicing medicine alongside his responsibilities as a CEO. This unique combination provides him with a […]

The Future of Ophthalmology

The frontiers of science are always shifting, and that is no different in ophthalmology. Check out our downloadable piece on the future of ophthalmology, and the ophthalmic innovations and trends that will shape eye care in the coming decade. Our In Focus newsletter is published once a month and has thousands of subscribers. To help you keep […]

CFS: It’s a Numbers Game – The Evolution of the NEI Corneal Sodium Fluorescein Staining Scale

Drs. George Magrath and Andrew Pucker describe the evolution of the NEI corneal fluorescein staining scale and why Lexitas developed an updated version that can help companies achieve better endpoints. See More Our In Focus newsletter is published once a month and has thousands of subscribers. To help you keep in touch, you can subscribe here.

Unveiling the Cost of an Ophthalmology Clinical Trial

My father once told me that when it comes to any project, “You can have it fast, you can have it good, you can have it cheap: pick two.” For most of my life, and with most things, my dad was right. When it comes to clinical research trials, however, I have yet to meet […]

Addressing Ophthalmics Sponsors’ Most Pressing Challenges w/ Nicole Derthick

Nicole Derthick is Sr. Vice President of Clinical Operations and Delivery. She has been with us for over 4 years and has had a role in most of our clinical studies, accruing invaluable customer insights. Check out her learnings and advice for optimizing your ophthalmic studies. In your experience speaking with ophthalmology clients, what do […]

Achieving Repeatability in Staining with a Modified NEI Scale

Corneal fluorescein staining, which assesses the rate and process of healing, is one of the most important components of dry eye studies. Yet despite providing such a crucial trial endpoint, staining is difficult to measure consistently – we’re still figuring out the best way to guarantee reproducibility across PIs, visits, and sites. Over the years, […]

Lexitas Clinical Studies – Exceeding Expectations with High Enrollment Success Rates

“With a remarkable 86% of our clinical studies enrolling as planned or even faster, we have set a new standard for efficiency and effectiveness.” In our industry, enrolling participants for clinical studies can often be quite challenging. However, here at Lexitas, we’ve made it our mission to stand out from the crowd by developing a […]

Gaurav Bhatnagar on the Future of Clinical Trials

Gaurav Bhatnagar joined Lexitas Pharma Services as Sr. Vice President of Strategy recently. We sat down with him to learn more about key issues in the industry and his plans for Lexitas. Welcome Gaurav! Can you provide a brief introduction and highlight some key points from your career? Certainly! With over 20 years of experience in […]

Shawn Scranton, PharmD., on Revolutionizing the Treatment of Ophthalmic Diseases

We recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Shawn Scranton, PharmD., President and CSO at Amber Ophthalmics, a clinical-stage biotech company dedicated to addressing unmet ophthalmic medical needs. Their groundbreaking work aims to restore, preserve, and improve the vision and quality of life of patients. We delve into their innovative drug, Nexagon® (lufepirsen ophthalmic […]

Lanita Scott, M.D. – Maximizing the Likelihood of Success for Your Ophthalmology Studies

Dr. Lanita Scott recently joined Lexitas Pharma Services as Sr. Vice President of Medical and Clinical Sciences. We sat down with Lanita to learn more about key issues in the industry and her plans for Lexitas. Welcome to Lexitas, Lanita! You have extensive experience in various clinical and medical positions at companies such as Adverum, […]

A Modified NEI Grading Scale for Corneal Fluorescein Staining w/ Dr. Ken Sall

A Modified NEI Grading Scale for Corneal Fluorescein Staining Dr. Ken Sall and Dr. Andrew Pucker discuss why a new, modified NEI grading scale for corneal fluorescein staining shows efficacy when the original scale does not. Dr. Sall explains the history of cornea grading, the common methodologies for grading and the advantage of the new […]

Ophthalmology Trial Design in the Era of Decentralized Clinical Trials

Ophthalmology Trial Design in the Era of Decentralized Clinical Trials Decentralized clinical trials (DCTs) expanded rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic, but their utility has been somewhat questioned as companies have struggled to implement them effectively. Ophthalmology clinical trials in particular have many unique challenges and nuances that have led to slower adoption of DCT. If […]

Our Plans to Help Bring More Ophthalmic Treatments to Patients

It’s well known that almost 50% of Phase 3 trials do not meet enrollment criteria, and that almost 80% of all trials are delayed due to patient recruitment and retention problems*. This is an on-going challenge that the life sciences industry has struggled with for many years. At Lexitas, we believe there must be a […]

George Magrath – Ophthalmology Clinical Trials Predictions for 2023

What’s Happening In Ophthalmology Clinical Trials – Predictions For 2023 Preparedness and adaptability are critical to the success of ophthalmology clinical trials. Our four-part “Predictions For 2023” series aims to give you a glimpse of what will likely happen in the coming year, and how you can be better prepared. Ophthalmology. By George Magrath, M.D., […]

Tony Proctor – Ophthalmology Clinical Trials Predictions for 2023

What’s Happening In Ophthalmology Clinical Trials – Predictions For 2023 Preparedness and adaptability are critical to the success of ophthalmology clinical trials. Our four-part “Predictions For 2023” series aims to give you a glimpse of what will likely happen in the coming year, and how you can be better prepared. Finance and M&A. By Tony […]

Joseph Tauber, M.D. – Making Ophthalmology Trials More Efficient

Joseph Tauber, M.D., just joined Lexitas Pharma Services as Executive Director of Medical and Clinical Sciences. We sat down with him to discuss his role, his vision and how to tackle the challenges that are unique to ophthalmology clinical trials. Welcome to Lexitas, Joe. You have an extensive career as an ophthalmology researcher and […]

Improving Patient Retention in Ophthalmology Clinical Trials

Improving Patient Retention in Ophthalmology Clinical Trials has a major impact on the success of ophthalmology studies, and it’s only getting more challenging to recruit and retain trial participants. For clinical trials overall, studies have shown that 100 potential candidates must be identified for every 9 subjects who will ultimately be enrolled, and only 7 […]

Joanna Williams – Ophthalmology Clinical Trials Predictions for 2023

What’s Happening In Ophthalmology Clinical Trials – Predictions For 2023 Preparedness and adaptability are critical to the success of ophthalmology clinical trials. Our four-part “Predictions For 2023” series aims to give you a glimpse of what will likely happen in the coming year, and how you can be better prepared. Clinical Operations. By Joanna Williams, […]

Malia Lewin – Ophthalmology Clinical Trials Predictions for 2023

What’s Happening In Ophthalmology Clinical Trials – Predictions For 2023 Preparedness and adaptability are critical to the success of ophthalmology clinical trials. Our four-part “Predictions For 2023” series aims to give you a glimpse of what will likely happen in the coming year, and how you can be better prepared. The Clinical Trial Industry. By Malia […]

PE Can Narrow Health Inequality Gap by Funding Drug Development

The economics of drug development can often limit the development and dissemination of treatments in society – but is the increasing involvement of private equity changing this narrative? Traditionally, venture capitalists come in at the beginning of the drug development process, writing moderate-sized cheques to fund the smaller trials in phases one and two. But […]

The CEO in Ophthalmologists Coat

In balancing two roles — Lexitas CEO and practicing physician — George Magrath brings a patient-first perspective to his company’s mission of advancing eye treatments. George Magrath is an unusual CEO in the biopharmaceutical solutions space. Sure, he has a CEO’s qualifications, including an MBA from The Citadel, a master’s degree in applied economics from […]

Advancing Diversity in Leadership w/ OWL Podcast

Interview with Abby Markward, Immediate Past President of OWL, and Dr. George Magrath, CEO of Lexitas. We learned more about Lexitas’s approach to diversity, inclusion and belonging. You’re also sure to enjoy George’s answers to our fun questions and one of the BEST answers to our final surprise question!

How Diversity Within Pharma Can Make the World a Healthier Place

As the CEO of a company that runs clinical trials for pharmaceutical firms to develop eye care products, the importance of a diverse workforce is not lost on our team. The benefits of diverse workforces, as set out by DiversityQ, are well-documented. But the significance of this is even more pronounced in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors, […]