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Related Party Transactions
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2024
Related Party Transactions  
Related Party Transactions

15. Related Party Transactions

The Company has engaged Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP (“WilmerHale”) to provide certain legal services to the Company. Christopher White, who served as the Company’s Chief Business Officer until March 6, 2024, is the brother of a partner at WilmerHale who has not participated in providing legal services to the Company. The Company incurred fees for legal services rendered by WilmerHale of approximately $1,080 and $394 for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, there was $0 and $298 recorded in accounts payable for WilmerHale. As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, there was $1,014 and $0 recorded in accrued expenses for WilmerHale.

The Company has engaged Heier Consulting, LLC (“Heier Consulting”), an entity affiliated with Jeffrey Heier, M.D. a former member of the Company’s Board of Directors and the Company’s current Chief Scientific Officer, to provide advice or expertise on one or more of the Company’s development-stage drug or medical device products relating to retinal diseases or conditions under a consultant agreement. On February 21, 2024, the Company entered into an employment agreement with Dr. Heier (the “Heier Employment Agreement”) under which Dr. Heier agreed to serve as Chief Scientific Officer of the Company on a part-time basis, working 50% of a full-time schedule. In connection with

entering into the Heier Employment Agreement, the Heier Consulting Agreement was terminated. In addition, in connection with his commencement of employment, Dr. Heier resigned from the Company’s board of directors, effective February 21, 2024. Compensation for the consulting services was in the form of cash and stock-based awards. The total grant date fair value of stock-based awards granted to Dr. Heier was $96, which was recognized to expense on a straight-line basis over the respective vesting periods. The Company incurred cash-based fees for services rendered by Heier Consulting of approximately $5 and $2 for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, there was $0 and $6 recorded in accounts payable for Heier Consulting. As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, there was $5 and $0 recorded in accrued expenses for Heier Consulting.