Appointment Strengthens Company’s Expertise in Translational Medicine and Commercial Strategy
Diorasis Therapeutics, a biotechnology company based in Boston and focused on developing durable gene therapies for glaucoma and other ophthalmic disorders, has announced the appointment of Richard A. Kresch, MD, to its Board of Directors. The addition of Dr. Kresch brings decades of healthcare leadership, entrepreneurial expertise, and strategic insight to the company as it advances toward clinical-stage development.
Diorasis Therapeutics is developing next-generation gene therapy solutions aimed at addressing the underlying biological drivers of glaucoma and related eye diseases. With its lead program approaching clinical entry, the company continues to strengthen its governance and leadership capabilities to support long-term growth, capital formation, and value creation. The appointment of Dr. Kresch reflects Diorasis’ commitment to building a board with deep operational, clinical, and financial experience in healthcare.
Dr. Kresch is a highly accomplished healthcare executive and physician with more than 30 years of experience founding, financing, and scaling provider-based healthcare businesses across the United States. He currently serves as Founder and Chief Executive Officer of US HealthVest, a national network of behavioral health hospitals that delivers inpatient and outpatient mental health services across major U.S. markets. Under his leadership, US HealthVest has expanded its footprint while maintaining a strong focus on quality care, operational efficiency, and sustainable growth.
Prior to founding US HealthVest, Dr. Kresch established Heartland Health Development and Ascend Health Corporation, two psychiatric hospital companies that grew rapidly under his leadership and were later acquired by publicly traded healthcare organizations. These successful exits underscore his ability to identify market opportunities, build scalable healthcare platforms, and guide organizations through complex growth and transaction processes.
In addition to his executive accomplishments, Dr. Kresch brings extensive clinical expertise to the Diorasis board. He is a board-certified psychiatrist who completed his medical training at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center and earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from New York Medical College. His combined background as a physician and healthcare entrepreneur provides a unique perspective on clinical development, patient needs, regulatory pathways, and healthcare economics.
Commenting on the appointment, Remis Bistras, Chief Executive Officer of Diorasis Therapeutics, emphasized the strategic value Dr. Kresch brings to the organization.
As we advance toward clinical development, Richard’s track record of capital formation, strategic growth, and successful exits will strengthen our governance and support long-term value creation,” said Bistras. “His experience building and leading healthcare organizations at scale will be invaluable as we transition from a preclinical company to a clinical-stage biotechnology enterprise.”
Diorasis Therapeutics is focused on developing what it believes to be a first-in-class gene therapy for glaucoma, one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness worldwide. Current glaucoma treatments often require daily eye drops or repeated surgical interventions, and many patients struggle with adherence, limited durability, or progressive vision loss despite treatment. Diorasis aims to overcome these challenges by offering a long-term, single-dose therapeutic solution that targets the biological mechanisms responsible for elevated intraocular pressure and disease progression.
The company’s lead program integrates proprietary vector engineering with an innovative in vivo “biofactory” approach, designed to enable sustained therapeutic expression within the eye. By delivering a gene therapy that continuously produces a therapeutic protein at the site of disease, Diorasis seeks to provide durable intraocular pressure control while reducing the need for chronic medication use. This approach has the potential to significantly improve patient outcomes and quality of life, while also reducing the long-term burden on healthcare systems.
Diorasis recently achieved a key regulatory milestone with a successful Pre-Investigational New Drug (Pre-IND) meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The positive engagement with regulators has helped clarify the development pathway for the company’s lead program and supports its plans to initiate clinical trials. In parallel, Diorasis has begun Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) manufacturing, an essential step toward producing clinical-grade material for human studies.
Beyond its lead glaucoma program, Diorasis is leveraging its gene therapy platform to develop additional candidates targeting neuroprotective and ophthalmic diseases with significant unmet medical need. These programs are designed to address conditions where current therapies are limited, invasive, or fail to modify disease progression. By expanding its pipeline, Diorasis aims to build a diversified portfolio of gene therapies that can deliver durable clinical benefit across multiple indications.
Dr. Kresch expressed enthusiasm about joining the board and supporting the company’s mission to transform the treatment landscape for glaucoma and other eye diseases.
A durable, single-dose therapeutic solution for glaucoma could represent both a clinical breakthrough and a compelling value proposition,” said Dr. Kresch. “I look forward to supporting Diorasis as it executes its development and growth strategy, advances its programs into the clinic, and works to bring meaningful innovation to patients.”
As a board member, Dr. Kresch will provide guidance on corporate strategy, capital planning, operational scaling, and long-term growth initiatives. His experience navigating complex healthcare markets, building provider networks, and working with public and private investors is expected to complement the scientific and clinical expertise already present within the Diorasis leadership team.
Diorasis Therapeutics continues to position itself at the forefront of ophthalmic gene therapy by combining advanced vector design, innovative delivery strategies, and a focus on long-term therapeutic durability. With a strengthened board and key development milestones underway, the company is preparing for its next phase of growth as it moves closer to clinical validation of its technology.
The appointment of Dr. Kresch reinforces Diorasis’ strategy of pairing scientific innovation with experienced leadership to accelerate development, manage risk, and maximize the potential impact of its gene therapy platform. As the company progresses toward clinical trials, it remains focused on its goal of delivering transformative, long-lasting treatments for patients affected by glaucoma and other vision-threatening diseases.
About Diorasis Therapeutics
Diorasis Therapeutics is a biotechnology company based in Boston developing disease-modifying, gene-agnostic therapies for glaucoma, neuroprotection, and other ophthalmic diseases. The company’s platform is designed to deliver long-term benefit with a single administration.
