CCOI's new CEO Malvina Eydelman, MD, outlines her mission and vision for the organization

In one of her first in-depth interviews since stepping into a new role as chief executive officer of the Collaborative Community on Ophthalmic Innovation (CCOI), Malvina Eydelman, MD, spoke with Sheryl Stevenson, executive editor with the Eye Care Network, to share her vision for accelerating innovation, uniting global stakeholders, and transforming the future of eye care.

Over the course of three decades at the FDA, Eydelman played a central role in shaping regulatory pathways for medical devices across multiple specialties. Most recently, Eydelman served as Director of the Office of Ophthalmic, Anesthesia, Respiratory, ENT and Dental Devices, where she led multidisciplinary teams to advance the safety and effectiveness of a wide range of technologies.

Eydelman's appointment¹ marks a significant milestone for CCOI as it expands its mission to improve patient outcomes and advance groundbreaking ophthalmic solutions. “What excites me most about leading CCOI at this point in my career is the shift from enabling innovation within the government to directly catalyzing it on a global scale,” Eydelman said.

After decades at the FDA shaping regulatory frameworks for ophthalmic technologies, Eydelman aims to re-engineer the entire innovation ecosystem. “CCOI isn't just another initiative. It's a global launch pad for change.”

Among her top priorities: modernizing clinical trial endpoints, aligning global regulators, and establishing a network of certified clinical trial centers of excellence. “The innovation pipeline, unfortunately, is clogged not for lack of ideas but because we've been working within an outdated framework,” she noted.

Patient input, she emphasized, must be integral from day one. “We can't claim progress if it doesn't resonate with the people it's meant to help... we're not just listening to patients, we are giving them a seat at the table.”

Looking ahead, Eydelman is focused on preparing the next generation of innovators. The upcoming launch of the CCOI Innovation Academy and a new partnership with Stanford’s Byers Eye Institute aim to address critical gaps in real-world innovation training.

“Success to me over the next 2–3 years won’t mean incremental progress, it will mean transformation,” Eydelman added. “The goal isn't just progress, it's building an ecosystem that preempts barriers and redefines what's possible.”

Reference

1. Malvina Eydelman, MD, appointed CEO of Collaborative Community on Ophthalmic Innovation (CCOI). News release. Collaborative Community on Ophthalmic Innovation. April 3, 2025. Accessed April 24, 2025. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/malvina-eydelman-md-appointed-ceo-of-collaborative-community-on-ophthalmic-innovation-ccoi-302420294.html