PORTLAND, Ore., Apr. 18, 2016 – Paragon BioTeck, Inc., announced today that Hasenin Al- khersan has been named its 2016 Koch Kellan Scholar. Paragon Gives, a Paragon BioTeck initiative, awards the Koch Kellan Scholarship to an outstanding graduate medical student committed to pursuing a clinical, teaching or research career in ophthalmology.

Interested in becoming our next Koch Kellan Scholar? Learn more at KochKellan.com

“The underlying principle of the Koch Kellan Scholarship is to cultivate educational opportunities and success for the next generation of ophthalmic leaders,” stated Patrick Witham, President & CEO of Paragon BioTeck. “An enduring tribute to the professional lives of Doctors Koch and Kellan, it is a realization of Paragon’s fundamental mission to continually elevate the standard of eye care. We do this by recognizing the talents and commitments of rising doctors such as Hasenin Al-khersan.”

Hasenin Al-khersan is a third-year student at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. As an adolescent, Mr. Al-khersan accompanied his grandmother to her glaucoma appointments, serving as a translator; later, he deepened his ophthalmic interests through cataract and glaucoma research and volunteering as the leader of Sight Savers, an organization that provides free glaucoma and vision screenings for the South Side Chicago community.

Upon receipt of the award, Mr. Alkhersan remarked that “Ophthalmology has long been more than an intellectual endeavor, but also a personal passion. To be recognized in this pursuit by Paragon BioTeck is humbling. I plan to continue my work in the field with Drs. Koch and Kellan; they are true examples of the impact that I may one day hope to make.”

Mr. Al-khersan will join Scholarship namesakes and other distinguished industry leaders at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery annual meeting in New Orleans, from May 6-8. There, he will be formally presented with the award. (Editor’s note: Read Mr. Al-khersan’s thoughts on the conference).

About Paragon Gives and the Koch Kellan Scholarship

Paragon Gives, a Paragon BioTeck, Inc., initiative, supports a number of charities and organizations, including those within the biotechnology and health care arena. The initiative also works with individuals and organizations that have made a positive impact on our customers, vendors, investors and industry as a whole.

The Koch Kellan Scholarship affirms Paragon’s commitment to elevating the standard of eye care and enhancing patient quality of life. It was first awarded to Captain Edward Woodward of the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, whose compelling personal connection to the field made him the ideal inaugural recipient.

About Paragon BioTeck, Inc.

Paragon BioTeck, Inc., is a privately held pharmaceutical and medical device company specializing in the development and commercialization of ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, devices and therapies. Paragon BioTeck’s portfolio of products is designed to protect and preserve eyesight and deliver comfort to the eyes.