New Developments for JOPT

The JOPT editorial team is working hard to move the Journal to the next level to better serve our readers and the growing field of ocular pharmacology and therapeutics, and ultimately to improve patient care. The first major change was the elimination of the case-report category for submission, with the goal of making more room in the Journal for full-length articles, including original work and reviews. In fact, submissions of full-length articles are currently at an all-time high. As of August 21, we have already received 182 submissions. To accommodate this increased volume and increasing readership, Mary Ann Liebert, our publisher, has agreed to expand the Journal to 10 issues in 2013.

As part of the 10-issue lineup in 2013, we will have a special issue early in the year on Drug Delivery to the Eye. Our section editor on ocular drug delivery, Dr. Uday Kompella, has been working diligently organizing this important collection of articles. Included in the special issue are both original work and timely reviews covering cutting-edge technologies for ocular delivery of therapeutics.

Lastly, it is my pleasure to announce the inaugural appearance of a new feature column in JOPT called Eyes on New Product Development by Gary D. Novack, Ph.D. From the present issue forward, his column will be a regular part of JOPT, updating the eye community on the status of drugs and devices that are in the pipeline. In addition, Dr. Novack will keep us informed on any ophthalmic policy/regulatory changes by the FDA.

We are lucky that Dr. Novack agreed to participate in the venture, being one of the world leaders in the development of technology with ocular applications. Dr. Novack is a board-certified clinical pharmacologist and medical writer, authoring 175 articles and chapters. He serves as the President of PharmaLogic Development in San Rafael, California, with over 25 years of experience in pharmaceutical research and development, ranging from the laboratory to the marketplace.

Thanks for your continued submissions and readership.