Kiora Appoints Retina Leader Dr. Taiji Sakamoto To Scientific Advisory Board, Strengthens Retina Pipeline

Kiora Pharmaceuticals announced the appointment of renowned retina specialist Dr. Taiji Sakamoto to its Scientific Advisory Board as the company advances new therapies for retinal diseases with significant unmet medical needs. Dr. Sakamoto currently serves as Chair of Ophthalmology at Kagoshima University in Japan and will provide clinical and scientific guidance to support Kiora’s development programs.

Dr. Sakamoto is widely recognized for his work in diabetic retinopathy, retinal surgery, and ocular angiogenesis. He pioneered triamcinolone-assisted vitrectomy and helped establish the Japan-Retinal Detachment Registry. With more than 460 peer-reviewed publications and an h-index of 62 as of mid-2025, he has also developed an artificial intelligence–based OCT algorithm that is now incorporated into several commercial imaging systems. He holds senior editorial roles, including Co-Editor-in-Chief of Graefe’s Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology and Editor-in-Chief of JRVS Times.

"As we deepen our understanding of inflammatory pathways in retinal disease, it is increasingly important to pursue therapeutic options that do not rely on chronic steroid use," explained Dr. Sakamoto. "Non-steroidal approaches such as KIO-104 represent an important direction for the field, aiming to manage inflammation while avoiding many of the limitations associated with steroids. I look forward to contributing to the advancement of these efforts as part of Kiora's Scientific Advisory Board."

His academic and leadership career includes medical training at Kyushu University, visiting faculty service at the Doheny Eye Institute and the University of Southern California, and senior roles at Kagoshima University, where he previously served as Vice President. Dr. Sakamoto also led the Japan Retina Vitreous Society from 2020 to 2025 and currently sits on multiple international ophthalmology boards, including the International Council of Ophthalmology. His honors include the Pfizer Ophthalmic Awards, ARVO Gold Fellowship, and the Kreissig Award from Euretina.

"We welcome Dr. Taiji Sakamoto, a leading retina specialist, to Kiora's Scientific Advisory Board," added Eric Daniels, MD, MBA, Chief Development Officer of Kiora. "His extensive expertise in retinal disease and clinical research will provide valuable guidance as we continue advancing our development programs. We look forward to his contributions as we work to bring meaningful solutions to patients."

Kiora is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on small-molecule therapies for retinal disease. Its pipeline includes KIO-104, a next-generation non-steroidal immunomodulatory DHODH inhibitor for retinal inflammation, and KIO-301, a molecular photoswitch designed to restore vision in patients with inherited or age-related retinal degeneration, including retinitis pigmentosa, choroideremia, and Stargardt disease.