Aerie Pharmaceuticals has hired John LaRocca as general counsel, the company announced this week. LaRocca comes to the ophthalmic pharmaceutical company from Eagle Pharmaceuticals Inc., where he was executive vice president and GC.

In a company statement, LaRocca predicted the company's growth into a “major” ophthalmic pharmaceutical company.

“The Company is at a very exciting stage in its life cycle, and I look forward to contributing to the Company's future success,” he said.

Aerie, based in Durham, North Carolina, works on therapies for patients with open-angle glaucoma and other eye diseases. In June 2016, the company and its officers survived a securities fraud class action after a New Jersey federal judge tossed the suit for failure to show that the defendants knowingly misled investors by touting a forthcoming glaucoma medication as a “blockbuster drug.”

Before joining Eagle Pharmaceuticals in 2015, LaRocca held in-house positions at Actavis and Alpharma Inc., according to his LinkedIn profile. He began his legal career in private practice, where he spent 10 years at three firms.

A company spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment on LaRocca's hire, namely whether he is the first person to hold the top lawyer position at Aerie.