Full Press Release Details
OKYO Pharma Announces Appointment of Dr. Jay
S. Pepose to its Scientific Advisory Board
Ophthalmologist with Expertise in the Medical and Surgical Treatment of Ocular Surface Diseases Joins Advisory Board of OKYO Pharma
London and New York, NY, February 23, 2023 OKYO Pharma Limited (LSE: OKYO, NASDAQ: OKYO), an ophthalmology-focused bio-pharmaceutical
company developing OK-101 to treat dry eye disease (DED) to address the significant unmet need in this multi-billion-dollar market, today
announces the appointment of Jay S. Pepose, M.D., Ph.D., Founder and Medical Director of the Pepose Vision Institute and Professor of
Clinical Ophthalmology at Washington University School of Medicine, to OKYO's Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). In this role Dr.
Pepose will help guide OKYO's clinical programs for OK-101 for the treatment of DED. The Company anticipates opening its Phase
2 clinical trial of OK-101 to enrollment in the first quarter of 2023.
"As a well-established thought
leader in eye disease, Dr. Pepose is an ideal choice to help us raise the profile of OK-101 and educate the clinical community about its
potential to treat DED," said Gary S. Jacob, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of OKYO Pharma. "As a distinguished ophthalmologic
surgeon, researcher and entrepreneur, we look forward to his guidance as we advance OK-101 toward the clinic in the coming weeks."
"Dry eye is a prevalent, multifactorial
disease of the ocular surface, in which ocular surface inflammation and neurosensory abnormalities play etiological roles," said
Dr. Pepose, M.D. Ph.D. "In animal models, OK-101's ability to reduce ocular pain, suppress ocular inflammation, and normalize
goblet cell density make it an attractive candidate to further evaluate in clinical trials of dry eye disease."
Dr. Pepose has nearly 40 years of
experience as both a treating physician and a widely published researcher. He is the founder and Medical Director of the Pepose Vision
Institute and a professor of Clinical Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Dr.
Pepose is actively involved in clinical trials and has served as an investigator on over 30 studies evaluating new therapeutics and technology
in a broad range of ophthalmic indications, including dry eye. He has published over 200 peer-reviewed articles and has served on the
editorial boards of several prestigious ophthalmology journals.
an A.B. and M.A. in neurophysiology from Brandeis University and completed the M.D. Ph.D. program at the UCLA School of Medicine. Dr.
Pepose completed his ophthalmology residency at the Wilmer Institute at the Johns Hopkins Medical Center and his fellowship training at
Georgetown University Medical Center.
Limited (LSE: OKYO; NASDAQ: OKYO) is a life sciences company admitted to listing on NASDAQ and on the standard segment of the Official
List of the UK Financial Conduct Authority and to trading on the main market for listed securities of London Stock Exchange plc. OKYO
is focusing on the discovery and development of novel molecules to treat inflammatory dry eye diseases and chronic pain. For further information,
please visit www.okyopharma.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
statements made in this announcement are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not historical facts but rather
are based on the Company's current expectations, estimates, and projections about its industry; its beliefs; and assumptions. Words such
as anticipates,' expects,' intends,' plans,' believes,' 'seeks,' estimates,' and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking
statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other
factors, some of which are beyond the Company's control, are difficult to predict, and could cause actual results to differ materially
from those expressed or forecasted in the forward-looking statements. The Company cautions security holders and prospective security holders
not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect the view of the Company only as of the date of this announcement.
The forward-looking statements made in this announcement relate only to events as of the date on which the statements are made. The Company
will not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions or updates to these forward-looking statements to reflect events,
circumstances, or unanticipated events occurring after the date of this announcement except as required by law or by any appropriate regulatory
| OKYO Pharma Limited | Gary S. Jacob, Chief Executive Officer | +44 (0)20 7495 2379 |
| Optiva Securities Limited (Broker) | Robert Emmet | +44 (0)20 3981 4173 |
| Investor Relations | Paul Spencer | +44 (0)20 7495 2379 |