anacor pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering , developing and commercializing novel small-molecule therapeutics derived from its boron chemistry platform .

it is based in palo alto , california , united states .

anacor was founded in 2002 based on technology created by lucy shapiro at stanford university and stephen benkovic at pennsylvania state university .

cofounder david perry served as ceo and president from 2002 to 2014 , and took the company public in 2010 .

since then , the company has generated a pipeline of both topical and systemic boron-based compounds of which five are currently in clinical development .

in may 2016 , pfizer announced it would acquire anacor pharmaceuticals for $ 5.2 billion , expanding the company 's portfolio in both inflammation and immunology drugs areas .

anacor

anacor pharmaceuticals , inc . , palo alto , california , usa . lzane @ anacor . com .
r - release : anacor _ 1 . 1 - 3 . tgz , r - oldrel : anacor _ 1 . 1 - 3 . tgz
anacor pharmaceuticals , inc . ( nasdaq : anac ) - anacor pharmaceuticals to present phase 3 data of tavaborole for the topical treatment of toenail onychomycosis | benzinga
anacor is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering , developing and commercializing novel small - molecule therapeutics derived from its boron chemistry platform . anacor ' s first approved product , kerydin
pfizer to acquire anacor pharmaceuticals for $ 5 . 2 billion - the new york times
pfizer inc . is to pay $ 99 . 25 per anacor share . that ' s a 55 % premium over anacor ' s friday closing price of $ 64 . 03 .
sandoz launches kerdyn tm ( tavaborole ) topical solution , 5 % from anacor pharmaceuticals , inc .
a copy of the presentation will be available on anacor ' s website following the oral session .
score a big win for pfizer and its $ 4 . 5 billion buyout of anacor pharmaceuticals . the fda wednesday approved anacor ' s eczema treatment that is projected to be a $ 2 billion blockbuster .
the article anacor pharmaceuticals announces fda acceptance of tavaborole nda for filing originally appeared on fool . com .
the submission of the nda is a significant milestone for anacor ,
said david perry , anacor ' s chief executive officer .
anacor was founded eleven years ago based on the promise of boron chemistry . tavaborole is the first drug in our pipeline to reach this important milestone , and i ' d like to acknowledge and thank the entire anacor team for their hard work , dedication and persistence .
a big blow for anacor as its two patents got invalidated by ptab . anacor hold patent rights on its oxaborole antifungal drug tavaborole which got approved by fda in 2014 . ( kerydin solution 5 % ) .
sandoz launches kerdyn tm ( tavaborole ) topical solution , 5 % from anacor pharmaceuticals , inc . | sandoz
anacor have few or more patents claiming composition and approved indication . the snapshot of tavaborole ob has given below :
anacor pharmaceuticals , inc . clinical study of an2728 , a novel anti - inflammatory compound , shows efficacy in psoriasis
through a subsidiary , pfizer plans to launch a cash tender offer for all outstanding shares of anacor common stock for $ 99 . 25 per share in cash—55 % above anacor’s closing stock price of $ 64 . 03 on friday .
we appreciate david ' s commitment to anacor and the many contributions he has made over the past 12 years to help build anacor into the company it is today ,
board member paul klingenstein said in a press release .
anacor pharmaceuticals inc . president and ceo david perry has left the company as it awaits approval of its first drug .
pfizer ' s buyout of anacor pharmaceuticals for $ 5 . 2 billion is a bad move - - here ' s why
anacor ' s stock was up more than 55 % on monday morning , trading as high as $ 99 . 86 .
anacor pharmaceuticals , inc . clinical study of an2728 , a novel anti - inflammatory compound , shows efficacy in psoriasis | biospace
despite two solid successes together , today anacor is using naeja only for microbiology screening . anacor has expanded its internal chemistry group , and like many drug companies big and small these days , it has shifted most of its discovery chemistry outsourcing to asia .
perry had been in his roles with the anacor since 2002 , when he cofounded the company . he left the company tuesday .
anacor also expects to launch pivotal studies for another drug , an - 2728 , in patients with mild to moderate atopic dermatitis .
while complimentary to its product portfolio , pfizer ' s acquisition of anacor could take a long time to pay off for shareholders .
pfizer has completed its acquisition of silicon valley biotech group anacor securing access to its flagship non - steroidal topical pde4 inhibitor crisaborole .
pfizer is acquiring anacor pharmaceuticals . the deal is expected to close in the third quarter . ( mark lennihan / associated press )
in july 2014 , sandoz announced an agreement with anacor pharmaceuticals , inc . to obtain exclusive rights to commercialize kerydintm in the us .
contact : david perry , chief executive officer of anacor pharmaceuticals , + 1 - 650 - 739 - 0700 ; or brian reid of weisscomm partners , inc . , + 1 - 703 - 402 - 3626 , breid @ weisscommpartners . com , for anacor pharmaceuticalsinc .
“anacor was founded eleven years ago based on the promise of boron chemistry . tavaborole is the first drug in our pipeline to reach this important milestone , and i ' d like to acknowledge and thank the entire anacor team for their hard work , dedication and persistence . ”
the fda has approved eucrisa , an eczema treatment developed by anacor pharmaceuticals , which pfizer bought for $ 4 . 5 billion in june .
under the terms of the agreement , a subsidiary of pfizer will acquire anacor for $ 99 . 25 a share in cash . that represents a 55 percent premium over anacor’s closing stock price from friday . pfizer plans to finance the transaction through existing cash on its balance sheet .
the investments from gsk and schering corporation fulfill each company ' s investment obligations pursuant to their respective and ongoing collaborations with anacor . at the conclusion of the financing , the combined ownership of gsk and schering corporation will be less than 20 percent of anacor ' s outstanding shares .
anacor pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company developing novel small - molecule therapeutics derived from its boron chemistry platform to treat infectious and inflammatory diseases . anacor’s most advanced product candidate is an2690 , a novel topical antifungal for the treatment of toenail onychomycosis , a fungal infection of the nail and nail bed . anacor also has a portfolio of other topical product candidates in development for the treatment of psoriasis , atopic dermatitis and skin and nail fungal infections .
pfizer inc . ( nyse : pfe ) and anacor pharmaceuticals , inc . ( nasdaq : anac ) today announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement under which pfizer will acquire anacor for $ 99 . 25 per anacor share , in cash , for a total transaction value , net of cash , of approximately $ 5 . 2 billion , which assumes the conversion of anacor’s outstanding convertible notes . the boards of directors of both companies have unanimously approved the transaction . anacor’s flagship asset , crisaborole , a differentiated non - steroidal topical pde4 inhibitor with anti - inflammatory properties , is currently under review by the u . s . fda for the treatment of mild - to - moderate atopic dermatitis , commonly referred to as eczema .
pfizer ' s buyout of anacor pharmaceuticals for $ 5 . 2 billion is a bad move - - here ' s why - - the motley fool
anacor also holds the rights to kerydin , a topical treatment for onychomycosis ( toenail fungus ) that is distributed and commercialised by sandoz in the us .
anacor ' s topical treatment for eczema , called crisaborole , is under review by the food and drug administration . if approved , pfizer said it believes peak year sales could reach or exceed $ 2 billion . anacor , based in palo alto , also holds the rights to a topical treatment for toenail fungus called kerydin .
anacor’s drugs would fit with the innovative business , said albert bourla , group president of pfizer’s global innovative pharma and global vaccines , oncology and consumer health care businesses .
anacor pharmaceuticals today announced that it has raised $ 50 million through a preferred stock financing with participation from glaxosmithkline , schering corporation and existing investors including rho capital partners , venrock associates , care capital and aberdare ventures . proceeds from the financing will be used to further develop anacor ' s product pipeline based on its boron chemistry platform .
this press release contains forward - looking statements , including statements regarding the progress , timing and results of anacor ' s clinical trials , safety and efficacy of anacor ' s product candidates , timing and potential approval of anacor ' s product candidates and timing and potential commercial success of anacor ' s products . these statements constitute forward - looking statements within the meaning of section 27a of the securities act of 1933 and section 21e of the securities exchange act of 1934 . the words
may ,
might ,
will ,
should ,
estimate ,
project ,
plan ,
anticipate ,
expect ,
intend ,
outlook ,
believe
and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward looking statements . readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward - looking statements , which speak only as of the date of this release and anacor undertakes no obligation to update any forward - looking statement in this press release except as required by law . these forward - looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions by anacor ' s management that , although believed to be reasonable , are inherently uncertain and subject to a number of risks and uncertainties . the following represent some , but not necessarily all , of the factors that could cause actual results to differ from historical results or those anticipated or predicted by anacor ' s forward - looking statements : anacor ' s ability to timely and successfully launch , either alone or with a partner , kerydin ; any issues or delays arising during the course of anacor ' s phase 3 studies or other clinical trials relating to an2728 ; any delay or failure by the fda to approve an2728 ; anacor ' s ability to timely and successfully launch , either alone or with a partner , an2728 ; and the other risks identified in anacor ' s periodic filings , including anacor ' s quarterly report on form 10 - q for the quarter ended march 31 , 2014 .
hernandez has no complaints about his asian partners . still , he does look back fondly on anacor’s chemistry collaboration with naeja , recalling the quality of its scientists , their excellent communication skills , and the closeness of the interaction between the two firms . “we treated the chemists on the program like they were anacor chemists , ” he says .
anacor also holds the rights to kerydin , a topical treatment for onychomycosis ( toenail fungus ) that is distributed and commercialized by sandoz inc . in the u . s .
pfizer inc . is acquiring anacor pharmaceuticals inc . , a california company with a potentially lucrative eczema treatment , in a deal valued at about $ 5 . 2 billion .
anacor pharmaceuticals is out to change that . the palo alto , calif . - based biotechnology company is developing a family of boron - containing small - molecule drugs . and with the assistance of naeja pharmaceutical , a canadian contract research organization , anacor has licensed one of those molecules to glaxosmithkline and taken another one into phase iii clinical trials .
“today marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for anacor , which we believe will deliver significant value to our shareholders , ” said paul l . berns , anacor’s chairman and chief executive officer . “we have a deep respect for pfizer , and it is clear that they share our commitment to addressing the significant unmet medical needs in inflammatory disease . we are proud of the innovative company that our team has built and are confident that pfizer will help accelerate anacor’s important mission given the strength of its global platform and resources . ”
pfizer will acquire anacor pharmaceuticals for $ 5 . 2 billion , the companies announced monday . anacor has developed a product , currently under review by the food and drug administration , known as crisaborole , to treat eczema . the company , based in palo alto , calif . , also makes a topical treatment called kerydin for a form of toenail fungus .
anacor could eventually be a decent buy . pfizer reckons annual sales of the target’s crisaborole eczema gel may hit $ 2 billion or more . that would put anacor’s value at $ 9 billion , using pfizer’s multiple of 4 . 5 times sales . pfizer is also expected to make a handsome profit from kerydin , which attacks fungus that can grow under toenails .
the closing of the tender offer is subject to customary closing conditions , including u . s . antitrust clearance and the tender of a majority of outstanding anacor shares . under the merger agreement , pfizer will acquire any shares of anacor that are not tendered into the offer through a second - step merger to be completed promptly after the close of the tender offer .
anacor anticipates that it will complete its review of this phase 2a trial for an2728 and an2898 for the treatment of atopic dermatitis in early 2012 . following this review , anacor plans to communicate the next steps in the development plans for one or both of these drug candidates in atopic dermatitis . anacor does not anticipate that costs related to development in atopic dermatitis in 2012 will materially affect the company’s previously stated ability to complete its two phase 3 trials for tavaborole in onychomycosis and its first phase 3 trial for an2728 in psoriasis with its current financial resources .
christopher micetich , now president of naeja , recalls that his scientists tackled the anacor job with gusto . company chemists helped discover the benzoxaborole scaffold , which led to the discovery of an2690 , an antifungal now being developed to treat onychomycosis , an infection of the toenail . in 2005 , an2690 became the first of anacor’s five boron - containing compounds to enter clinical trials .
given the collaboration’s success with the first scaffold , it’s no surprise that anacor hired naeja again a few years later . by then hernandez was on board , and he and his colleagues were trying to figure out what made an2690 work . anacor’s discovery biology group , led by dickon alley , identified the compound’s target , an enzyme called leucyl - trna synthetase , or leurs . then , working with stephen cusack at the european molecular biology laboratory in grenoble , france , anacor scientists solved the cocrystal structure of an2690 bound to leurs from either bacteria or fungi .
pfizer has agreed to acquire anacor pharmaceuticals for approximately $ 5 . 2 billion , the companies said today , in a deal that would expand the buyer’s portfolio of inflammation and immunology drugs .
pfizer’s acquisition of anacor would include its flagship asset crisaborole , a differentiated nonsteroidal topical pde4 inhibitor whose nda is under review by the fda . crisaborole is indicated for mild - to - moderate exczema .
centerview partners and guggenheim securities provided financial advice to pfizer , while wachtell , lipton , rosen & katz provided legal advice . anacor was advised by citigroup and the law firm davis polk & wardwell .
given the safety profile exhibited by an2728 in 13 clinical studies , the positive outcome from the atopic dermatitis trial , and the large unmet medical need in atopic dermatitis relative to psoriasis , anacor intends to focus its an2728 development activities on atopic dermatitis in 2012 and will defer the start of the phase 3 trial in psoriasis . anacor will provide more specific information on these activities in a future communication .
pfizer’s $ 5 . 2 billion offer for anacor pharmaceuticals , announced on monday , dodges the drug giant’s bigger issue . the company may have made a good deal for anacor , the maker of eczema and toenail - fungus remedies , even though it’s paying a 55 percent premium . the more important question for shareholders , though , is whether pfizer’s chief executive , ian c . read , will break up pfizer .
tavaborole was patented as a product in us 5 , 880 , 188 a which had expired . the drug was later licensed to anacor , which initiated the trails and succeded to bring the drug into the market .
anacor is a biopharmaceutical company developing novel small molecule therapeutics derived from its boron chemistry platform . anacor has focused initially on developing topical applications of its compounds to treat fungal , bacterial and inflammatory diseases . in addition , the company is developing systemic antiviral and antibacterial therapeutics under a research and development agreement with glaxosmithkline . anacor ' s most advanced product candidate is an2690 , a novel topical antifungal in development for the treatment of toenail onychomycosis , which is a fungal infection of the nail and nail bed . an2690 is licensed to schering - plough corporation under a worldwide development and commercialization agreement for all indications including the treatment of onychomycosis . for more information visit
under the terms of the merger agreement , a subsidiary of pfizer will commence a cash tender offer to purchase all of the outstanding shares of anacor common stock for $ 99 . 25 per share in cash . the closing of the tender offer is subject to customary closing conditions , including u . s . antitrust clearance and the tender of a majority of the outstanding shares of anacor common stock . the merger agreement contemplates that pfizer will acquire any shares of anacor that are not tendered into the offer through a second - step merger , which will be completed promptly following the closing of the tender offer . pfizer expects to complete the acquisition in the third - quarter 2016 .
pfizer closed its buyout of anacor in june , a bite - sized deal it knocked off shortly after it halted its planned buyout of allergan . the company abandoned that plan after tax rule changes made them it less appealing .
the us drugs giant announced earlier this year that it would purchase all of the outstanding shares of anacor common stock for $ 99 . 25 per share , equating to a deal value of around $ 5 . 2 billion .
now that anacor is part of pfizer , we can accelerate our shared commitment to help patients with inflammatory disease , an area of high unmet medical need ,
said albert bourla , group president , pfizer innovative health .
kerydin was designed to be convenient for patients to use and has demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of the fungal infection , thus allowing growth of new uninfected nail ,
said vince ippolito , chief commercial officer of anacor pharmaceuticals .
in market research conducted by anacor , kerydin ' s product profile was received with great enthusiasm by the participating physicians and we believe this response demonstrates the need for a safe topical treatment for onychomycosis of the toenails .
pfizer ' s buyout of anacor pharmaceuticals for $ 5 . 2 billion is a bad move - - here ' s why @ themotleyfool # stocks $ pfe , $ anac . dl , $ sny , $ celg , $ regn
the information contained in this release is as of may 16 , 2016 . neither pfizer nor anacor assumes any obligation to update forward - looking statements contained in this release as the result of new information or future events or developments .
princeton , new jersey , september 22 , 2014 - sandoz , through its branded dermatology business , pharmaderm , today announced the us launch of kerydintm ( tavaborole ) topical solution , 5 % , developed by anacor pharmaceuticals , inc .
footnotes : 1 for full safety information , please see the kerydintm ( tavaborole ) topical solution , 5 % , prescribing information , available in the product catalog at urltoken . 2 kerydin is a trademark of anacor pharmaceuticals , inc .
pfizer said today it believes anacor’s crisaborole could rack up peak - year sales of $ 2 billion or more . the pharma giant cited positive results from two phase iii studies showing crisaborole achieving statistically significant results on all primary and secondary endpoints .
while i ' m all for having pfizer use its cash flow to boost the inorganic growth side of the equation , i ' d contend that it vastly overpaid for anacor when it offered $ 5 . 2 billion for the drug developer .
( tavaborole ) topical solution , 5 % , is an oxaborole antifungal approved by the u . s . food and drug administration in july 2014 for the topical treatment of onychomycosis of the toenails . in july 2014 , anacor entered into an exclusive agreement with sandoz inc . , a novartis company , pursuant to which pharmaderm , the branded dermatology division of sandoz , distributes and commercializes kerydin in the united states . in september 2014 , pharmaderm launched kerydin . anacor ' s lead product development candidate is crisaborole topical ointment , 2 % , a novel non - steroidal topical anti - inflammatory pde - 4 inhibitor in development for the potential treatment of mild - to - moderate atopic dermatitis and psoriasis . beyond kerydin and crisaborole , anacor has discovered three investigational compounds that it has out - licensed for further development . anacor also has a pipeline of other internally discovered topical and systemic boron - based compounds in early stages of research and development . for more information , visit
we are pleased to complete this financing , which will allow us to advance our five clinical programs and to identify and progress new compounds derived from our boron chemistry platform ,
said david perry , chief executive officer at anacor pharmaceuticals .
there are some major caveats , of course . anacor has not yet won approval for crisaborole from the food and drug administration . a decision is due by january . and pfizer’s estimates might not account for competing drugs and gels coming to market .
these trial results demonstrate that an2728 has the potential to make an important contribution to the treatment of psoriasis ,
said karl beutner , m . d . , ph . d . , and chair of anacor ' s clinical advisory board .
pfizer’s financial advisors for the transaction were centerview partners and guggenheim securities , and wachtell , lipton , rosen & katz acted as its legal advisor . citi served as anacor’s financial advisor , and davis polk & wardwell , llp served as its legal advisor .
anacor requested a special protocol assessment ( spa ) from the u . s . food and drug administration ( fda ) for the phase 3 trial design of an2728 in psoriasis and has reached concurrence on the major parameters of the phase 3 trial design .
we believe that pfizer is in a position to quickly capitalise on the benefits offered by the combination with anacor , including the potential for a near - term us product launch and subsequent commercialisation of crisaborole , a differentiated asset with compelling clinical data
.
anacor pharmaceuticals ( nasdaq : anac ) announced today that the first patient has been dosed in a phase 2 trial of an2728 and an2898 to determine safety , tolerability and efficacy of the two compounds for the topical treatment of mild - to - moderate atopic dermatitis .
this press release contains forward - looking statements with respect to the fda goal date for anacor ' s product candidate , tavaborole . these forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks , uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual levels of activity , performance or achievement to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward - looking statements , including risks related to the regulatory approval process of new drug candidates . reference should be made to anacor ' s annual report on form 10 - k for the year ended december 31 , 2012 , filed with the securities and exchange commission under the heading
risk factors
and anacor ' s subsequent quarterly reports on form 10 - q for a more detailed description of such factors . these statements reflect the views of anacor as of the date of this press release with respect to future events and , except as required by law , it undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward - looking statements , whether as a result of new information , future events or otherwise after the date of this press release .
anacor brought in naeja to optimize abx . once again , micetich says , naeja’s medicinal chemists did the job , helping discover a new molecule , an3365 , with the aid of x - ray crystallography and computer modeling . naeja also contributed to process chemistry . the chemists followed their original “medchem” synthesis , which used chiral high - performance liquid chromatography , with a gram - scale synthesis based on diastereomeric salt resolution . according to hernandez , anacor later transferred the naeja process to contract manufacturer regis technologies for phase i clinical trial production with only minor modifications .
since anacor pharmaceuticals was founded , they launched one dru g and are currently in the process of approval for another product . in july 2014 , the u . s . food and drug administration approved kerydin® ( tavaborole ) topical solution , an oxaborole antifungal , for the topical treatment of onychomycosis of the toenails . in a july 13 press release , anacor announced that crisaborole topical ointment , non - steroidal topical anti - inflammatory treatment , had positive top - line results from two phase 3 pivotal studies . in a recent press release , chairman and chief executive officer of anacor paul l . berns said , “we currently plan to file a new drug application for crisaborole in the first half of 2016 and , if approved , we believe crisaborole could offer an important treatment option for patients with mild - to - moderate atopic dermatitis . ”
anacor is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering , developing and commercializing novel small - molecule therapeutics derived from its boron chemistry platform . anacor has discovered six compounds that are currently in development including its lead compounds : tavaborole , a topical antifungal for the treatment of onychomycosis ; an2728 and an2898 , topical anti - inflammatory pde - 4 inhibitors for the treatment of psoriasis and atopic dermatitis ; gsk ‘052 ( formerly referred to as an3365 ) , a systemic antibiotic for the treatment of infections caused by gram - negative bacteria , which has been licensed to glaxosmithkline under the companies ' research and development agreement ; and an8194 which has been licensed to eli lilly and company for an undisclosed animal health application . anacor is also developing an2718 as a topical antifungal product candidate for the treatment of onychomycosis and skin fungal infections . for more information , visit urltoken .
“anacor is interested in keeping that boron in the final compound , ” says vincent hernandez , who joined anacor in 2005 as a bench scientist and is now the firm’s director of medicinal chemistry . boron generally forms three bonds to pair up the three electrons in its outer shell . but boron also has an empty p orbital that can form a fourth bond , known as a dative or coordinate covalent bond . when interacting with targets , such bonds offer greater stability than the noncovalent interactions of most pharmaceuticals . they are particularly useful in enzyme inhibition , hernandez says .
anacor was founded in 2002 to develop technology created by lucy shapiro , a stanford university bacterial geneticist , and stephen j . benkovic , a pennsylvania state university organic chemist . through a long - standing scientific collaboration , the two researchers had discovered boron - containing compounds that inhibited specific bacterial targets .
anacor released positive top - line phase iii data for the most advanced of its boron - based anti - infectives , the antifungal tavaborole , but the results weren’t good enough for some shareholders who were looking for the compound to best valeant’s antifungal , currently pending at fda with a may action date .
for the hefty sum of $ 99 . 25 in cash per share , or a 55 % premium to where anacor shares closed on friday . the crown jewel of the $ 5 . 2 billion acquisition is crisaborole , a non - steroidal topical anti - inflammatory pde - 4 inhibitor that ' s been submitted for regulatory review in the u . s . for mild - to - moderate atopic dermatitis ( a type of eczema ) . crisaborole is also being studied as a treatment for psoriasis . pfizer believes that anacor ' s lead compound could generate up to $ 2 billion in peak annual sales .
as for an2690 , anacor launched phase iii clinical trials in december 2010 . the company had licensed the compound to schering - plough in 2007 , in exchange for a $ 40 million payment , but merck & co . returned commercialization rights in early 2010 , some six months after acquiring schering - plough .
with this new treatment and others being explored , anacor researchers have the potential to make an impact in their core therapeutic areas of fungal , inflammatory , and bacterial diseases . their research could also potentially have applications in non - core areas , such as parasitic , cancer , and ophthalmic indications and animal health .
anacor is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering , developing and commercializing novel small - molecule therapeutics derived from its boron chemistry platform . anacor has discovered eight compounds that are currently in development . its two lead product candidates are topically administered dermatologic compounds — tavaborole , a topical antifungal for the treatment of onychomycosis , and an2728 , a topical anti - inflammatory pde - 4 inhibitor for the treatment of atopic dermatitis and psoriasis . in addition to its two lead programs , anacor has discovered three other wholly - owned clinical product candidates — an2718 and an2898 , which are backup compounds to tavaborole and an2728 , respectively , and an3365 an antibiotic for the treatment of infections caused by gram - negative bacteria . we have discovered three other compounds that we have out - licensed for further development — two compounds for the treatment of animal health indications that are licensed to eli lilly and company and an5568 , also referred to as scyx - 7158 , for human african trypanosomiasis ( hat , or sleeping sickness ) , which is licensed to drugs for neglected diseases initiative , or dndi . we also have a pipeline of other internally discovered topical and systemic boron - based compounds in development . for more information , visit http : / / www . anacor . com .
anacor is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering , developing and commercializing novel small - molecule therapeutics derived from its boron chemistry platform . anacor has discovered six compounds that are currently in development including its three lead programs : tavaborole , a topical antifungal for the treatment of onychomycosis ; an2728 , a topical anti - inflammatory pde - 4 inhibitor for the treatment of psoriasis and atopic dermatitis ; and gsk 2251052 , or gsk ‘052 ( formerly referred to as an3365 ) , a systemic antibiotic for the treatment of infections caused by gram - negative bacteria , which has been licensed to glaxosmithkline under the companies ' research and development agreement . anacor is also developing an2718 as a topical antifungal product candidate for the treatment of onychomycosis and skin fungal infections and an2898 as a topical anti - inflammatory product candidate for the treatment of psoriasis and atopic dermatitis . in addition , an8194 has been licensed by eli lilly and company and is in development for an animal health application . for more information , visit urltoken .
anacor’s flagship asset , crisaborole , has a new drug application under review by the u . s . food and drug administration ( fda ) , is a differentiated non - steroidal topical pde4 inhibitor with compelling clinical data , and if approved , has the potential to be an important first - line treatment option for patients with atopic dermatitis
kerydin is , to be blunt , an afterthought in this acquisition . anacor forged an agreement with sandoz to help market kerydin back in 2014 , and last year total distribution and commercialization segment revenue was $ 69 . 7 million . with peak sales estimates of $ 400 million , it ' s not going to move the needle much for pfizer .
anacor , meanwhile , already had an approved drug in kerydin , an anti - fungal drug that is marketed in the u . s . by novartis’ generics unit sandoz . the big draw for pfizer , however , was the non - steroidal topical gel crisaborole , which pfizer has said would be the first new eczema treatment approved in 15 years .
anacor’s work - around was a family of cyclic boronic esters known as benzoxaboroles . the firm discovered the esters about eight years ago under a $ 22 million department of defense contract to explore the use of boron chemistry against biowarfare agents such as anthrax . because of their cyclic element , benzoxaboroles have improved solubility and better metabolic stability , hernandez says .
it was hernandez himself who discovered the breakthrough an2690 derivative , known as abx . subsequent preclinical results formed the basis of the gsk collaboration . in october 2007 , the pair signed a boron - based anti - infective medicines deal worth $ 12 million up front to anacor and as much as $ 331 million in milestone payments for each product candidate .
“we believe the acquisition of anacor represents an attractive opportunity to address a significant unmet medical need for a large patient population with mild - to - moderate atopic dermatitis , which currently has few safe topical treatments available , ” albert bourla , group president of pfizer’s global innovative pharma and global vaccines , oncology and consumer healthcare businesses , said in a statement .
anacor announced earlier this year that tavaborole achieved statistically significant and clinically meaningful results on all primary and secondary endpoints in two phase 3 pivotal studies of tavaborole to treat onychomycosis topically without concomitant debridement . the only currently fda - approved topical treatment for onychomycosis is approved with concomitant nail debridement , and currently approved oral therapies have been associated with rare but serious safety issues .
if you follow the stock market , you’ve surely taken note of the continually climbing value of anac stock ( anacor pharmaceuticals , a biopharmaceutical company based in palo alto , california ) . the company , founded in 2002 , was created around boron chemistry technology developed by dr . stephen benkovic of penn state university and co - founder dr . lucy shapiro of stanford university .
this press release may contain forward - looking statements that relate to future events including the timing for filing of a new drug application , or nda , related to tavaborole and the potential fda approval of tavaborole . these forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks , uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual levels of activity , performance or achievement to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward - looking statements , including risks related to regulatory approval of new drug candidates . reference should be made to anacor ' s annual report on form 10 - k for the year ended december 31 , 2012 , filed with the securities and exchange commission under the heading
risk factors
and anacor ' s subsequent quarterly reports on form 10 - q for a more detailed description of such factors . these statements reflect the views of anacor as of the date of this press release with respect to future events and , except as required by law , it undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward - looking statements , whether as a result of new information , future events or otherwise after the date of this press release .
anacor pharmaceuticals ( nasdaq : anac ) announced today that on july 26 , 2013 it submitted its new drug application ( nda ) to the u . s . food and drug administration ( fda ) for tavaborole , its drug candidate for the topical treatment of onychomycosis . onychomycosis is a fungal infection of the nail and nail bed that affects approximately 35 million people in the united states .
“we are pleased to present these positive data at the apma ' s annual scientific meeting , the leading annual meeting of podiatrists . as we seek fda approval for tavaborole , we look forward to developing relationships with podiatrists to potentially offer them a new treatment option for the large number of patients who seek treatment for onychomycosis , ” said david perry , chief executive officer of anacor pharmaceuticals .
although velcade has nothing to do with anacor or gsk , perry interprets its approval and growing use as the final proof that boron itself poses no fundamental risk to humans ; safety will be determined by the design of individual drugs , just as has been the case with traditional carbon - based compounds . meanwhile , anacor hopes to make its commercial debut with a boron - based drug called an2690 ® , which they hope to use to treat onychomycosis , a fungal infection that affects fingers and toes , causing the nail to become brittle and discoloured with soreness of the surrounding skin . although rarely serious , onychomycosis can cause pain and accounts for half of all nail abnormalities , so any treatment has considerable market potential ; phase iii clinical trials are scheduled to begin early in 2009 .
the good news here is pfizer is generating more than enough cash flow to facilitate additional deals , and its oncology segment is on fire with an immuno - oncology offering ( avelumab ) waiting on the wings . the bad news is i don ' t believe its acquisition of anacor was a particularly good move , and i don ' t see any immediate benefits to this deal for shareholders .
an2690 is a potent antifungal that doesn’t inhibit bacteria , and the crystal structure showed that this was because the compound wasn’t reaching a key binding site on bacterial leurs . analogs of an2690 that bound there as well , the anacor team reasoned , would have the potential to inhibit bacteria instead of fungi . “that was the beginning of a structure - based drug design program , ” hernandez says .
palo alto , calif . , june 6 / prnewswire / - - anacor pharmaceuticals , a privately held pharmaceutical company , announced today the results from its placebo - controlled phase 1 trial of an2728 , a first - in - class topical therapy under investigation for the treatment of psoriasis . the trial showed an2728 to be well - tolerated , with activity comparable to existing topical treatments for psoriasis .
the timing of perry ' s departure is odd , considering that anacor is ramping up for potential food and drug administration approval by the end of july of the nail fungus treatment kerydin . the company earlier this month hired vince ippolito as executive vice president and chief commercial officer , noting his experience in launching new products , and perry last week led the company ' s quarterly call with analysts .
anacor is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering , developing and commercializing novel small - molecule therapeutics derived from its boron chemistry platform . anacor has discovered seven compounds that are currently in development . its two lead product candidates are topically administered dermatologic compounds — tavaborole , a topical antifungal for the treatment of onychomycosis , and an2728 , a topical anti - inflammatory pde - 4 inhibitor for the treatment of atopic dermatitis and psoriasis . in addition to its two lead programs , anacor has discovered three other wholly - owned clinical product candidates — an2718 and an2898 , which are backup compounds to tavaborole and an2728 , respectively , and an3365 an antibiotic for the treatment of infections caused by gram - negative bacteria . we have discovered two other compounds that we have out - licensed for further development — one compound for the treatment of an animal health indication that is licensed to eli lilly and company and an5568 , also referred to as scyx - 7158 , for human african trypanosomiasis ( hat , or sleeping sickness ) , which is licensed to drugs for neglected diseases initiative , or dndi . we also have a pipeline of other internally discovered topical and systemic boron - based compounds in development . for more information , visit urltoken .
both an2728 and an2898 have demonstrated efficacy in human clinical trials of psoriasis ,
said david perry , chief executive officer of anacor pharmaceuticals .
pre - clinical studies suggest that they may also be effective in treating atopic dermatitis . this trial is intended to understand the potential of each compound to treat the disease , and , if effective , determine which compound to progress further in development .
a further description of risks and uncertainties relating to pfizer and anacor can be found in their respective annual reports on form 10 - k for the fiscal year ended december 31 , 2015 and in their subsequent quarterly reports on form 10 - q and current reports on form 8 - k , all of which are filed with the u . s . securities and exchange commission ( the “sec” ) and available at urltoken .
we are pleased to announce the fda approval of kerydin , which provides an important new topical treatment option for the millions of people in the united states who are infected with onychomycosis of the toenails ,
said paul berns , chief executive officer of anacor pharmaceuticals .
we expect to launch kerydin in the u . s . , either alone or with a partner , as early as the end of this quarter .
taking this step by step , pfizer really is getting two assets : kerydin and cirsaborole . anacor does have other topical anti - inflammatory products in development , but they ' re all in the discovery or preclinical stages of development . aside from these two therapies , the only other drug in clinical studies is an3365 for infections caused by gram - negative bacteria , and it ' s far too early to tell if this clinical therapeutic is effective .
anacor pharmaceuticals ( nasdaq : anac ) announced today preliminary results from its phase 2b trial of an2728 for the treatment of mild - to - moderate plaque - type psoriasis . the trial enrolled 68 subjects randomized in a 2 : 1 ratio , an2728 to vehicle . subjects treated with an2728 showed improvement over vehicle at each of the recorded timepoints during the 12 - week study period with peak efficacy of 26 % occurring after six weeks of treatment with an2728 .
prior to anacor’s experimentation with boron , researchers had limited understanding of the physical properties of the chemical element , despite its occurrence in many natural substances , such as fruits , vegetables , milk , and coffee . in their early years , the company explored the potential uses of boron in drug development and found that their boron platform had potential applications in the treatment of multiple diseases including bacterial , fungal , viral , and parasitic infections as well as inflammatory diseases .
anacor conducted two separate phase 3 studies of tavaborole on patients with distal subungual onychomycosis affecting 20 to 60 percent of the target great toenail . approximately 600 patients aged 18 years and older with no upper age limit ( the oldest subject was 88 years old ) were enrolled in each study and randomized two - to - one to receive either tavaborole or the vehicle control . patients were instructed to apply tavaborole solution or the vehicle to the toenail once daily for 48 weeks .
as announced earlier this year , tavaborole achieved statistically significant and clinically meaningful results on all primary and secondary endpoints in two phase 3 pivotal studies without concomitant debridement . anacor is seeking approval for tavaborole from the food and drug administration ( fda ) and will file a new drug application imminently . currently , there is only one fda - approved topical treatment for onychomycosis , a fungal infection of the nail and nail bed , which affects approximately 35 million people in the united states .
it was while working under the defense contract that anacor hired naeja to assist the two chemists on its staff . at the time , naeja was a three - year - old contract research firm run by ronald micetich and his son christopher . based in edmonton , alberta , the firm is staffed by chemists and biologists from a variety of nations who have found canada welcoming to highly educated immigrants . about three - quarters of its staff are chemists , and almost all have ph . d . s .
we are pleased with the results of this study and we are on track with our plans to file an nda in the middle of this year ,
said david perry , chief executive officer of anacor .
in both phase 3 trials , tavaborole demonstrated better efficacy than ciclopirox lacquer , the only approved topical treatment for onychomycosis . importantly , ciclopirox lacquer requires concomitant nail debridement . if approved , tavaborole could offer patients and prescribers a safe , effective and convenient topical treatment option for onychomycosis .
“these data confirm the safety of an2728 and the potential for it to be used on areas of the body that are susceptible to side effects from steroids and tend to be sensitive to irritation from vitamin d analogs , ” said david perry , ceo of anacor pharmaceuticals . “all of the clinical studies we have done to date on an2728 in psoriasis and atopic dermatitis support that it could be a potentially safe and effective topical treatment for patients who suffer from mild - to - moderate psoriasis or atopic dermatitis . ”
the payoff for all of the work was a licensing deal with gsk . last july , the british firm paid anacor $ 15 million and exercised its option to take over development of an3365 . david j . payne , vice president of gsk’s antibacterial drug discovery unit , lauded the compound , now renamed gsk2251052 , as having “the potential to be the first new - class antibacterial to treat serious hospital gram - negative infections in 30 years . ” gsk chemists have since developed a stereospecific synthesis for commercial - scale production .
according to anacor’s researchers , boron has two unique qualities that give it advantages in the drug discovery process . “first , boron has a unique geometry that allows compounds made from it to have two distinct shapes , giving boron - based drugs the ability to interact with biological targets in novel ways and to address targets not amenable to intervention by traditional carbon - based compounds . and second , boron ' s enhanced reactivity as compared to carbon allows the molecules to hit targets that are difficult to destroy with carbon chemistry . ”
palo alto , calif . - - ( business wire ) - - anacor pharmaceuticals , inc . ( nasdaq : anac ) today announced that the u . s . food and drug administration ( fda ) has approved the new drug application for kerydin™ ( tavaborole ) topical solution , 5 % , the first oxaborole antifungal approved for the topical treatment of onychomycosis of the toenails . onychomycosis is a fungal infection of the nail and nail bed that affects approximately 35 million people in the united states , according to podiatry today .
anacor pharmaceuticals ( nasdaq : anac ) announced today that its abstract “pivotal phase 3 safety and efficacy results of tavaborole ( formerly an2690 ) , a novel boron - based molecule for the topical treatment of toenail onychomycosis” was accepted for oral presentation at the 2013 apma annual scientific meeting ( the national ) to be held in las vegas , nevada . max weisfeld , dpm , will present the data from tavaborole ' s phase 3 studies on monday , july 22 , 2013 during the evidence - based medicine and oral abstracts session .
“we believe the acquisition of anacor represents an attractive opportunity to address a significant unmet medical need for a large patient population with mild - to - moderate atopic dermatitis , which currently has few safe topical treatments available , ” said albert bourla , group president of pfizer’s global innovative pharma and global vaccines , oncology and consumer healthcare businesses . “crisaborole is a differentiated asset with compelling clinical data that , if approved , has the potential to be an important first - line treatment option for these patients and the physicians who treat them . ”
in both of its phase 3 pivotal studies , crisaborole achieved statistically significant results on all primary and secondary endpoints and in march 2016 , the fda accepted for review anacor’s new drug application seeking approval of crisaborole for the potential treatment of mild - to - moderate atopic dermatitis in children and adults . the prescription drug user fee act ( pdufa ) goal date for the completion of the fda’s review is january 7 , 2017 . if approved , pfizer believes peak year sales for crisaborole have the potential to reach or exceed $ 2 . 0 billion .
this early - stage trial demonstrated definitive anti - inflammatory activity in humans . we are encouraged that the compound decreases tnf - alpha , a cytokine known to be important in psoriasis , by the inhibition of pde4 , a well - validated anti - inflammatory target ,
said karl beutner , anacor ' s chief medical officer .
a topical compound that effectively targets tnf - alpha would have great promise , and we intend to initiate further clinical trials to characterize the clinical utility of this drug in psoriasis and other inflammatory skin diseases .
“we are encouraged by this preliminary data demonstrating the safety and efficacy of both an2728 and an2898 in atopic dermatitis and believe it supports further development of one or both of these compounds in this indication , ” said david perry , anacor’s chief executive officer . “due to the large number of children who suffer from atopic dermatitis , safety is a critical consideration in the treatment of this disease . given the promising profiles of an2728 and an2898 , we believe that both compounds have the potential to become safe and effective alternatives to existing treatments for atopic dermatitis . ”
anacor , a privately held , clinical - stage pharmaceutical company , is developing novel product candidates for inflammatory , fungal and bacterial diseases based on its proprietary , small - molecule , boron - based chemistry . the company ' s lead product is an2690 , which is in phase 2 trials for onychomycosis , a fungal infection of the nail and nailbed . ancor has entered into an exclusive , worldwide agreement with schering - plough corporation to develop and commercialize the drug . the company is also conducting clinical trials with two anti - inflammatory product candidates , an2728 and an0128
) - - anacor pharmaceuticals ( nasdaq : anac ) today announced positive preliminary results from the second of two phase 3 trials of tavaborole ( known as study 302 ) . tavaborole is a topical anti - fungal for the treatment of onychomycosis , a fungal infection of the nail and nail bed that affects approximately 35 million people in the united states . results from the first phase 3 trial ( known as study 301 ) were announced on january 29 , 2013 . in both studies , tavaborole achieved statistically significant and clinically meaningful results on all primary and secondary endpoints .


sunnies studios is a company that sells sunglasses and prescription eyeglasses .

it was founded in 2013 .

sunnies studios sells online and has over 40 stores in the philippines .

sunnies studios

sunnies studios currently has 40 physical stores for sunnies and plans to add five more by end - 2016 .
an exclusive behind - the - scenes look at her campaign shoot for sunnies studios .
sunnies studios partners bea soriano , eric dee jr . , martine cajucom and georgina wilson
life in the philippines 🇵🇭 ep . 006 : sunnies studios with martine cajucom - youtube
sunnies studios has a creative team that comes up with new , trendy and stylish pieces both for sunnies and specs .
incognito : the new sunnies studios collection also features dark lenses for stalking your childhood crush .
more than just a pretty face : liza’s chill disposition makes her the perfect sunnies studios muse .
sunnies studios have suppliers from europe and china for the frames while lenses are sourced from korea and india .
sunnies studios launches an optical line under the brand sunnies specs . shown during the media launching at dasmariòas village in makati city are sunnies studios owners ( from left ) bea soriano - dee , eric dee , martine cajucom and georgina wilson . kathreen abaya
wilson serves as the marketing director of sunnies studios , bea is the operations director while cajucom is the creative director .
manila ( cnn philippines life ) — the thing people always talk about when they talk about sunnies studios is the look .
sunnies studios now focusies on the growing the three business lines in 2017 , aiming for market leadership in all three categories .
partnering with foodee global concepts , the team behind sunnies studios conceptualized sunnies cafe to be a brick and mortar representation of the southern california vibe that influenced their sunglasses .
become the eyecandy you’ve always wanted to be as you grab your own pair of sunnies now ! check out the details below to see the nearest sunnies studios to you .
we’ve been working with emman since our first campaign for sunnies and not only is he one of our dearest friends , but his energy really embodies what sunnies studios is all about .
sunnies cafe is the spin - off cafe of eyewear powerbrand , sunnies studios . it is la - inspired and got us covered from brunch to dinner , and coffee to cocktails .
sunnies studios - eyewear & opticians - edsa corner j . vargas avenue , mandaluyong city , ortigas , metro manila - phone number - yelp
the brand now carries three lifestyle concepts—sunnies , the glamorous yet affordable sunglasses ; the optical line sunnies specs ; and recently sunnies cafe .
customers may choose from 10 unique pantone colors . the sunnies studios team also curated five styles of frames to fit every face shape and personality .
go for the healthy and delish at sunnies cafe in sm megamall . photo from sunnies cafe
sunnies and sunnies specs’s ad campaigns were shot in countries such as japan , australia and the us .
sunnies studios , the lifestyle brand she established with three other partners , has expanded rapidly in a span of two years , from sunglasses to optical lines to restaurants .
“while sunnies is more of the adventurous kind of sunglasses , we’ve considered , due to increasing demand and queries , to broaden the brand to optical lenses , ” says eric dee , director for finance at sunnies studios .
the tedious process of getting prescription eyewear is promised to be a thing of the past as sunnies studios’ new line of prescription eyewear , sunnies specs , introduces a simpler and more affordable way of obtaining a pair of graded specs .
dee says sunnies studios expects to continue the enormous growth the company is enjoying , as sales posted a high double - digit to even triple - digit growth at some point .
since its foundation in 2013 , sunnies studios has been on top of the branding game with a signature retro look that’s consistently present , whether it’s on its fun packaging for its sunglasses or at sunnies stations in malls across the country .
wilson along with her cousin martine cajucom and entrepreneurs eric and bea soriano - dee decided to expand the sunnies studios company , which has created a niche in the sunglass sector , to introduce an optical line under the brand sunnies specs .
meanwhile , djs like nix damn p and mikhail schemm kept the house pumped with sets reeling the crowd in with their sunnies beer , sweets , burgers , tattoos , and stickers . the sunnies studios branding was just sweetly placed everywhere .
in step with the expansion of physical stores , sunnies are available on digital platforms such as sunny studios website and fashion site zalora . it is also available via direct selling firm avon .
cool it with these show stopping drinks at the new branch of sunnies cafe in sm megamall . photo from sunnies cafe
viana food condiments’ teresita valdez ; josiah’s catering judith versoza ; educator elizabeth lahoz ; and sunnies studios founders martine cajucom , bea soriano - dee , and georgina wilson completed the list of honorees .
the warehouse turned office of sunnies studios in quezon city encourages larger - than - life creativity with its glass windows , giant vanity mirror , and wall - spanning mood board . photo by jl javier
editors , bloggers , and celebrities united just to get their hands on sunnies studios’ vintage - inspired sunglasses that harken back to the undone glamour of jane birkin and the natural suave of paul newman .
manila ( cnn philippines life ) — tucked discreetly along the warehouse district near eastwood , the sunnies studios headquarters — well - known to the brand ' s 240 , 000 instagram followers as “sunnies hq” — looks like something straight out of a wes anderson film .
sunnies studios founder and marketing director , georgina wilson along with co - founders eric dee jr . , bea soriano , and martine cajucom celebrates the brand’s first anniversary with a party for friends and clients .
the sunnies studios team expressed how they wanted to create a completely different look from the californian and beach - y style sunnies is known for into a more classy and adult specs . “we always want to curate things that are fun , effortless and design - driven , ” says cajucom .
sunnies studios established three pilot stores for sunny specs at glorietta 2 in makati city , up town center in quezon city and sm megamall in mandaluyong city . sunnies specs will add two more shops at trinoma and sm cebu city in july and five more before the end of 2016 , says dee .
in between cocktails and amid pool - time ruckus , sunnies studios founder and marketing director , georgina wilson , surrounded herself in the euphoria of her brainchild’s first birthday along with co - founders eric dee jr . , bea soriano and martine cajucom .
dee says sunnies and sunnies specs are both priced competitively , with sunnies costing from p399 to p599 a pair and specs at a fixed price point of p1 , 999 per pair , with frame and multi - coated lens included .
sunnies studios , established in 2013 , was originally called sunnies by charlie as a part of the clothing brand charlie , which wilson co - owned . “well , we really created something that wasn’t available in the market—the simple , stylish and affordable , and that is exactly what we did for specs too , ” says wilson .
martine cajucom , sunnies’s creative director , in her office . photo by jl javier
at the launch of the new branch in sm megamall . photo from sunnies cafe
how does a small company built on sunglasses — and laconically named for its signature product — become a fashion and lifestyle empire ? according to sunnies studios’s martine cajucom , bea soriano - dee , and georgina wilson , it’s all a matter of how you see it .
it ' s intuitive ,
martine cajucom says about the sunnies studios look .
it wasn ' t like , ' oh , this is where i grew up . ' nothing like that . nothing pretentious or flowery about it , literally .
photo by bj pascual
aside from plans on shipping sunnies and specs worldwide , the sunnies team is launching soon its sunnies cafe inspired by the 70s , mid - century architecture , and music that the team loves . the cafe will transform the sunnies store into a lifestyle setting , where their inspirations , from furniture to style , will be showcased and shared to their customers .
the sunnies studios office is designed to have prominent glass windows to let in as much natural light as possible . “we wanted something really open - spaced , really really bright , ” martine cajucom says . “so everyone can see us , we can see everyone . ” photo by jl javier
nowadays , the company continues to be busy branching out , as evidenced by the recently launched sunnies specs store and the upcoming sunnies cafe . but even as its expansion seems to show no signs of stopping , sunnies remains able to maintain a cohesive brand , with its focus still set on affordable and stylish eyewear created within the instagram - worthy sunnies hq .
they say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder . in this case , sunnies studios made the idiom even more fun , by creating a line of eyewear that does not only serve its true purpose , but also makes sure that all eyewear are as fashionable as they can be .
around the office , equipment and areas are colored in signature sunnies pastel . photos by jl javier
the hq also serves as the hub for sunnies ' s packaging segment . photo by jl javier
throwback mood : liza’s campaign with sunnies was inspired by relatable and casual nuances from the ‘90s .
“i got together with my friends [ in 2013 ] . i was in la at that time . i said , let’s create something really cool and do something we really love , ” georgina wilson , the former host of asia’s next top model , says to explain how they built a company called sunnies studios .
in mid - 2013 , they started working with wilson on marketing and then eventually cajucom on creatives . sunnies began to bloom . “from there , we’re like , you know how in australia they call it ‘sunnies’ ? ” soriano - dee recalls . “so we said , ‘we should call it sunnies by charlie . ’ and so it stuck . ” sunnies by charlie officially launched in september 2013 .
eric dee and partners bea soriano - dee , martine cajucom and georgina wilson . photo from sunnies cafe
in celebration of their one year anniversary , we’ve busted the numbers to see how much sunnies studios has grown in such a short span of time . with a rapidly increasing following on social media and with more and more stores opening around the country , it won ' t be long before this turns into a colossal eyewear empire .
this year , with sunnies launching specs and then the café , the dees — they got married in january 2015 — are a long way from charlie . “sunnies studios is more of a lifestyle brand , ” soriano - dee says . “having a restaurant is the epitome of what lifestyle is all about . it just builds the brand , it solidifies it . it helps that eric is into food . everyone’s trying to build restaurants now , and it’s so hard . if you don’t know anything about operations , don’t go into it . the opportunity of having eric’s family in the operations background , and sunnies in the marketing and branding , i think that’s the perfect marriage of sunnies café . ”
the sunnies r & d ; room , where the recently launched line specs was developed . photo by jl javier
actress liza soberano is more than just a pretty face or a dream girl — she’s absolutely chill , makes no fuss , and is one of the most hardworking hustlers in the business . it’s that , more than her looks , that made her the perfect sunnies studios girl . sunnies is much like liza : beyond its cute , laid - back aesthetic is a company that has become one of the most successful retail brands in the philippines . it’s a match made in teen dream heaven , we think .
“the real reason why we made it is because people asked us to , ” reveals sunnies specs marketing director georgina wilson .
life in the philippines 🇵🇭 ep . 005 : work & cafe life , sunnies with martine , wholesome table & more !
of course , when you talk about the sunnies look , you’re really talking about martine cajucom , the company’s creative director . when i get to the sunnies studios hq in quezon city , true to form , a crop - topped , high - slitted cajucom is in the middle of what seems like a pretty serious meeting with heim interiors , the popular interior design firm they’re working with on one of the sunnies cafés . “i want to avoid anything too cliché , ” she’s saying . “mid - century - inspired but not obviously retro . i don’t want something to feel dated or like a knockoff or cartoonish — i want it to still be modern . ”
sunnies has 25 stations nationwide , 150 employees , and runs a social media presence with 125 , 000 followers on instagram alone .
sunnies let us take an exclusive sneak peek at their new campaign with liza , shot by photographer emman montalvan . from what we’ve seen so far — warm colors , a hint of nostalgia , and loads of cuteness — the campaign itself will be absolutely bomb . we also got to chat with sunnies creative director martine cajucom , who tells us just why liza soberano makes the perfect sunnies girl .
the sunnies eyewear brand which offers “trendy and modern but with a touch of vintage” sunglasses has been receiving suggestions to introduce prescription eyewear .
“this child , ” she says , while holding her belly , “is going to be easy because sunnies has consumed my life . ”
the brand’s creative director , martine cajucom shares her process of curating sunnies specs eyewear . “i combined things that really inspired me from color stories , cities i’ve been to , art references , music , culture , and i match them all together to create sunnies specs . ”
all frames and lenses are subject to assessment by our sunnies specs optical staff and authorized laboratory . for more information , check out urltoken .
djs nix damn p and mikhail schemm kept the house pumped as guests enjoyed the sunnies beer , sweets , burgers , tattoos and stickers .
sunnies is not alienating ,
georgina wilson says .
for me what ' s really important is that sunnies needs to be that affordable luxury — and it is with the prices — and it needs to be good , and it needs to everywhere .
photo by bj pascual
sunnies cafe had its first store at the bonifacio high street in taguig city and the second on the bridgeway at sm megamall in mandaluyong city .
eric dee jr . , sunnies’s finance director , at his office , which is connected to the r & d ; department . photo by jl javier
nonchalant : sunnies studio and liza share many things in common — being no - fuss , laid - back , but still knowing how to hustle .
from left : sunnies cafe finance director eric dee jr . , creative director martine cajucom , operations director bea soriano - dee and marketing director georgina wilson .
acknowledging the growing demand for affordable and stylish eyewear , the sunnies specs team designed a process that would only take two hours for the eyeglasses to be ready .
dee says the company has the same consumer base for sunnies and specs , as “most people do not know that they are in need of optical glasses . ’
since 2013 , the company has sold more than a million pairs of sunnies with as many as 200 stock keeping units of frames available at any given time .
and this is why people continue to want sunnies cafe , dee said . and this is also one of the reasons why they will be getting more of it .
they were also treated to their own sunnies pair in their customized canvas totes by live doodle artists rob cham and pete rich . different logo treatments were also installed in various rooms .
the look is integral in any retail or fashion business , but sunnies , once only the little eyewear stall that could , has taken it to another level . selling stylish sunglasses at affordable prices is one thing — and that’s a crowded marketplace , with everyone from h & m to i2i sunglasses selling variations of the same thing — but sunnies has worked the look so hard , so shrewdly , so confidently that it has sublimated the product as the main event . when you think of sunnies , you think of the look first and the product second .
i ' m back and forth between australia and the philippines a lot which means i ' m not just doing the tourist things when i ' m here but working and living - that ' s what ' life in the philippines ' is more about . a weekly travel vlog on the road as i travel throughout the philippines to give you a more personal , raw and real look into my life on the island . from events i ' m attending , my creative friends and favourite cafes to everyday errands and the stories behind my travel photos . after catching up over brunch with my friend martine at sunnies cafe i head to her office to have a bit of sunnies fun . here ' s a sneak peek inside the sunnies studios office in manila , philippines . previous vlog : urltoken watch more philippines vlogs : urltoken / / never miss a beat ↓ join the love club → urltoken blog : urltoken facebook : urltoken instagram : urltoken twitter : urltoken pinterest : urltoken
after launching the lifestyle eyewear brand sunnies and selling more than a million pairs of sunglasses since 2013 , the business partners are expanding their venture to include an optical or prescription eyewear line .
anyone who would like to try sunnies cafe should first keep this in mind : the brains behind this california - based , dining concept do not want you to eat their food outside .
friends were treated to their own sunnies pair best found in their customized canvas totes by live doodle artists rob cham and pete rich . different logo treatments were also installed in various rooms .
she adds : “a question that somebody asked me recently is , ‘as you continue to grow up and like , say you’re 40 , does sunnies [ get older ] ? ’ i don’t think that’s how it’s gonna work . the brand has to evolve , but not age . and sadly we will , but that will be the challenge . sunnies will have a life of its own . ”
the sunnies hq combines all of these aesthetic elements to create what could very well be a physical version of its instagram profile , with its white walls , pastel - colored appliances , and vintage furniture .
“globalization is the most overused word , but it’s true , ” wilson says . “with social media , that’s when globalization really happens . and letting people be part of that — that’s what sunnies café is . and that’s why we find it such an exciting brand extension for sunnies . not the natural route for a frickin’ sunglasses brand , but we don’t think of ourselves as just a sunglasses brand . ”
“we listen to our customers . people were saying , ‘can you make eyewear please ? we buy your sunglasses and we change them [ into prescription ] . ’ we wanted to make a one - stop shop , and we did . we made sunnies specs . there’s nothing like it in the market because it’s stylish , simple and affordable , and that is the core of sunnies specs , ” says wilson .
being one of the most followed brands in social media locally , it is with no surprise that all their station openings were marked by long lines waiting to get their hands on their latest collections . among all of their launches , the biggest happened at mall of asia where editors , bloggers , celebrities , and influencers alike gathered to grab their own pair . in less than two years , sunnies studios successfully expanded with over 30 stations nationwide and stretched out their stores throughout southeast asia . despite the success , this super - rad eye wear brand continues to stay true to its signature blend of vintage and cali cool that keeps all of us at the edge of our seats .
“this is about two brands coming together , both power houses in their industry . we combined both strengths - the marketing genius of sunnies and the genius of foodee global concepts . it made sense for us to combine . sunnies is becoming the supergood lifestyle brand and us being recognized for all the brands we brought in as food , and i think that the reason why we decided to do it , ” he says .
each part of your new sunnies specs optical pair is under warranty for a certain amount of time after the date of purchase . you can find the date of purchase on the receipt that came with your specs .
since the launch of its maiden branch at the bonifacio global city , sunnies cafe has enjoyed a daily head count that has averaged to about 300 people . and each party , according to dee , has spent an average of about php 500 per visit . these numbers , according to him , are encouraging—especially when one considers the fact that sunnies cafe has just opened last august and it is still just operating with two branches .
wilson , a co - founder , co - owner and brand ambassador is excited about sunnies cafe . “it’s like this was my first baby , ” says wilson who expects her first child with husband arthur burnand .
now if you’re planning to head to their birthday bash or if you simply need a pair to rock for your day to day activities , take a hint from george herself with her top picks from the sunnies bunch .
within the year , sunnies will be available in california through online stores . the brand is also available via the same platform in seven other southeast asian countries . physical expansion is the next phase of the company’s global plan .
“if there’s fast growth , there’s also a fast ability to fail ‘cause you’re going so quickly , ” wilson says . “i think what i do a lot of the time is rein it in . ‘is this the right thing ? ’” but she is quick to point out that sunnies is on a well - paved path . “sunnies is not alienating , ” she explains . “even though it is that cool , it’s not alienating , especially in very basic stuff like price point . for me , what’s really important is that sunnies needs to be that affordable luxury — and it is with the prices — and it needs to be good , and it needs to be everywhere . ”
“we’ve always talked about how we’re focused on the perfect pantones , ” sunnies’s creative director , martine cajucom , says . “the subtlety of the colors … [ and then ] there are playful elements , travel elements , moments . ”
“sunnies was started just by mood board , ” cajucom explains . “we mood - boarded things that we liked — music , pop - culture references , design references , furniture references . and we built a brand on top of that … what are things that we like , what are colors we like , what are places we like ? that’s why we have these style icons . that’s why we have mood boards everywhere . literally , that’s how sunnies started . ”
in three years , the sunnies four have managed to grow the brand from a small apparel brand’s product line to a full - fledged retail juggernaut . is it too soon to talk about world domination ? they sure don’t think so .
“our primary focus now is to open the café , ” cajucom says . “but my vision that i think we all share is to really take it internationally . i think the u . s . could really love sunnies . and that’s what we really wanna do … obviously , we want to expand more . we have dreams of opening sunnies hotels . truthfully , with the café , that was a dream last year . we talked about it and here , it’s happening . ”
we wanted to bring the sunnies lifestyle into something experiential for everyone to enjoy . sunnies cafe is a fusion of the things we like to see , eat , and drink . all in one space . the menu is a collection of our favorite comfort food with a modern twist . we designed it to be your new go - to spot , from brunch to dinner , and coffee to cocktails . so grab a chair . feel at home . and let ' s eat .
to make the simple process possible , operations director bea soriano says that all of their glasses are curated—with one look and one brand—compared with other optical shops , which offer several eyewear brands . sunnies specs’ frames are especially designed by the same lifestyle brand .
all four owners—eric and bea dee , martine cajucom and wilson—have hands - on participation in sunnies cafe , brewing up ideas to complete the menu , trying and retrying cafe fares until they are perfect and putting personal touches with the interiors and the furnishings .
while other optical shops carry multiple brands with multiple prices , sunnies specs has one brand with one fixed price point . “so you’ll need not worry that your budget of p2 , 000 will become p3 , 000 or p4 , 000 , ” says dee .
the company also plans to put up another business called sunnies cafe at bonifacio global city . the cafe will feature some of the owners’ favorite food and drinks . “you will see the most ‘instagrammable’ hub , ” says wilson . with kathreen abaya and regina lintag
“our life is like great on instagram but it’s a lot of hard work . we just make it look easy . but i swear the month before opening the cafe , none of us slept . but thanks we had a brilliant partner because everything is a lot of hard work . we’re so lucky we have partnered with people who know what they are doing . we don’t even have to handle any of the operational problems except it should look like sunnies . it should feel like sunnies , ” she says .
through a potent antidote of social - media influence , a specific aesthetic , and the business backbone to keep everything intact , sunnies has gone from strength to strength , ably discarding an early perception of weak product and making disciples out of skeptics through savvy business moves .
cajucom says : “we wanted to sell products that we personally love , so we created prescription eyeglasses that are affordable , stylish , design - driven and accessible to everyone . just like sunnies , we wanted to make it fun and fit the style of everyone . ”
of course , photo opportunities weren’t the only things on the design checklist of the main sunnies team , which , in addition to cajucom , includes : georgina wilson , marketing director ; eric dee jr . , finance director ; and bea soriano - dee , operations director .
sunnies was started just by mood board ,
martine cajucom says .
we mood - boarded things that we liked — music , pop culture references , design references , furniture references . and we built a brand on top of that .
photo by bj pascual
being a magnet for double - taps or likes on social media is usually not a quality that most companies consider when building an office , but it’s definitely something that the creative director of sunnies , martine cajucom , had in mind when designing the quezon city - based space .
in the early days , when product development hadn’t yet progressed enough to keep it truly competitive in terms of product , it was the promise of that look , of that socal lifestyle that allowed sunnies to cut through the local retail marketplace and make itself heard on social media .
eric dee is running the cafe with his team of chefs and crew . his younger brother eric dee jr . , a co - owner of sunnies brand , travels the world for food , brings home new ideas , make them popular and create a frenzy out of them .
it is obvious how this openness is quintessential to the sunnies experience both offline and online . a quick scroll through the brand’s instagram page is enough to see how liberal the company is with behind - the - scenes photos ( always tagged # sunnieshq ) and requests for customer feedback .
she says at first , the cafe was too daunting for her and her co - owners to delve into , so they put up a partnership that will make the concept fly , creating synergy between sunnies cafe and the foodee global brands , the operational genius behind todd english and tim howan .
this fondness for effortless cool is what keeps the sunnies shining brighter , but what seals the deal is the eyewear rookie’s no - holds - barred take on expansion . it has 25 stations nationwide , 150 employees , and runs a social media presence with 125 , 000 followers on instagram alone .
i ' m at a place right now , where i ' m managing myself ,
georgina wilson says .
i am running me as a brand like a company . so sunnies is like an extension , and i think of it in the same way too .
photo by bj pascual
eventually , in selling everything , you realize that some products tend to sell better than others . “and that’s how we came to know that sunnies was doing really well , ” soriano - dee says . “we had everything — we had sunglasses , we had shoes , we had bags . everything . ”
martine cajucom : liza is someone we’ve been stalking since basically forever . when we saw her post a photo wearing sunnies and heard she was a fan of the brand , we knew she was our girl . despite being one of the most recognizable faces in the country , liza still has a mystery about her that makes you want to know more . when you do finally meet her , her non - diva vibes are disarming and magnetizing . she’s so much more than just a pretty face ; she’s humble , super hardworking and has zero pretensions . liza keeps it real and that’s what the sunnies girl is really all about .
the dees are the more quiet half of the sunnies foursome , but it’s in keeping their head down , doing consistent work , and managing the backbone of the company that the indelible sunnies look and savvy social - media marketing are able to flourish . “we have very , very different schedules , so we don’t see each other a lot , ” soriano - dee explains . “so we make do with emails , with whatsapp . but we make sure to meet at least once a month . i think it’s part of the lifestyle right now where you can’t expect everyone to be in the office . you have to be mobile . you have to work wherever you are . you can’t be confined in an office . ”
“we’ve always seen sunnies as a lifestyle brand . even the imagery is full of the look and feel of it . it was simple and straight forward . in the menu , every single detail was given the attention it deserved . seeing this in real life is a weird feeling and i’m not going to say it was the easiest process , ” says wilson .
aside from the usual eye - catching areas — like the mezzanine floor that houses the creative and marketing department and two restaurant booth - like cubicles with murals by the local artist kris abrigo — the sunnies hq has a special selfie room ( that’s now being used for storage ) and a giant vanity mirror for people who want to take advantage of the great lighting .
managing that brand — the georgina wilson™ brand — is what has helped her take on the marketing position at sunnies . she’s still , after all , the most followed filipino who doesn’t appear on tv and movies on instagram , a status she achieved largely through prime endorsements , strategic magazine covers , an understanding of self - marketing , and a canny way with social media .
one rainy sunday we headed to sunnies cafe for our early family dinner . the menu was extensive and we didn ' t know what to order . my daughter ordered the risotto and me and my husband shared in the steak and potatoes . we couldn ' t resist ordering the ricotta pancakes after . we can ' t wait to go back to try the other entrees .
later , eating quinoa and sinigang on a desk overrun with pantone swatches and a copy of lena dunham’s “not that kind of girl” ( “i give this to our writers , like , this is the writing voice” ) , she talks about her time before sunnies as creative manager at american apparel , the u . s . brand famous for thrift shop - looking basics and provocative ads .
“for me , one of the reasons i wasn’t as happy with my job [ in american apparel ] even if i loved the nature of the work was the real lack of vacations , ” cajucom says . “we went without vacations for so long , and it bred so much resentment … [ in sunnies ] , we’re pretty flexible . we encourage them to travel . when they go abroad , we’re happy . ”
“i wouldn’t say that charlie was a successful business , but in a way , it is because it led me to sunnies , ” she says . “i think it’s really merging the two skill sets — eric and i , what we’re really good at , the two of us , is business concepts . martine and george are really good at marketing and creatives . so it’s their branding skills and our business concepts . ”
that’s not to say that the over 130 - person strong sunnies team isn’t always hard at work . tin dabbay , the brand’s creative manager and content strategist , says that the young environment is also very fast - paced “in the sense that it’s super high - volume . ” she adds : “we really expanded so fast in five years — from 20 branches , it’s now 45 . it’s kind of crazy in that sense .
sitting inside one of their newly minted branches in sm megamall , dee explained to entrepreneur philippines that sunnies cafe seeks to be more than just a run - in - the - mill dining establishment . “it’s an experiential restaurant , ” he said . and to fully appreciate what it has to offer , “you have to be inside ; you have to be served . ” much to his gratitude , people have been coming and they’ve been coming by the numbers .
speaking from behind her desk ( a simple white table topped with a few sample sunnies products and stacks of paper and books ) , cajucom talks about the glass windows that are featured prominently at the warehouse turned office . “we wanted something really open - spaced , really really bright , ” she says . “so everyone can see us , we can see everyone . ” the open space also allows the creative team to conduct mini shoots for their products using natural light .
growing up in california obviously informs the visual identity cajucom has molded for sunnies . but it’s the experience in a brand like american apparel that eventually helped her translate that life experience into a real brand , and keep that brand identity together through different product lines and changing pantone colors . “it’s intuitive , ” she says . “it wasn’t like , ‘oh , this is where i grew up . ’ nothing like that . nothing pretentious or flowery about it , literally . ”
at one point , the creative team under cajucom included melissa gatchalian , a talented , emerging blogger with a following of her own ; tina ong , a cult - favorite style star with extensive retail experience under her belt ; and tin dabbay , a whiz kid creative who has contributed to dazed magazine . the sunnies foursome is proud of how formidable their team is , and continuously make sure to allow them to grow within the company but also grow as individuals outside it .
“we had three brands in three years . we want to grow the brand and be the market leader in all of them . we might not be opening up new concepts but surely we will be super busy in everything . we also just opened our optical line . we have sunnies and we are working on being available worldwide . and it takes times to design a cafe . we want to make sure we put enough attention on all of that , ” wilson says .
the discussion moves along . “we want to make the bathroom something special , ” she says in a sweet , little - girl voice you don’t really expect coming from a dusky , pint - sized instagram bombshell ( or “instahoe , ” as she lovingly calls herself ) . “for the first branch , we really kind of sourced everything — i mean , who knew i was a sourcer ? ” it’s important to note that there are four people from heim at this meeting and only cajucom from sunnies .
these are big numbers , all things considering . but given what sunnies cafe is truly selling , it makes sense . the cafe after all is not just a source of food . given the details employed to execute it—from the music to the design , to the general ambiance they hold together—it is a business treated more like a destination . and like every destination , one needs to be there to fully appreciate it . dee’s plan of expansion is just one way to make that happen for more people .
“influenced , ” of course , is the key word here . the sunnies brand after all does not simply mimic all that california can offer . run by business minded individuals , it fine - tunes its products to make it more appealing and relevant to its immediate target market . for their glasses , the result of this fine - tuning can be seen in the inclusive price point . and for the cafe , the result can be seen in nearly everything that surrounded dee during his interview with entrepreneur philippines .
there will always be a misconception that wilson is more of a figurehead than an actual working partner at sunnies — perhaps the result of a long trend of celebrity products branded with celebrity names but run by other people . while she admits that she’s only in the office “when i’m in town , as many [ days ] as i can , ” wilson brings her own specific skill set to the table , working hand in hand with cajucom in articulating the brand values and aesthetic in marketing terms — in business terms .
once upon an october there was a couple and two cousins —bounded by friendship —who created what would be the country’s go - to eyewear hub . eric dee jr . , bea soriano , georgina wilson , and martine cajucom first introduced sunnies by charlie in 2013 with the opening of its first store at the sm mall of asia . editors , stylists , celebrities , and influencers all gathered at the scene and it wasn’t long before the rest of the country followed . the rest , as they say , is history .
“this [ sunnies ] cafe has been thought of for a while by my brother and me . so one day , my brother and i said ‘why don’t we do a cafe ? ’ . we’re one family , so we decided to do it together . this is the first project with me and my brother . he does retail , i do food . we saw that it made sense . for a lifestyle brand , it is in its own natural progression to have something to add to the brand , something relevant . that’s how the collaboration began , ” says dee .
famously particular , sometimes deemed difficult , wilson long ago gave up on playing cordial at work just to keep the peace . “i’m at a place right now , where i’m managing myself , ” she says . “it suits who i am . i am running me as a brand like a company . so sunnies is like an extension , and i think of it in the same way , too . ” and so , she takes great pains to understand what will go on at something as major as a magazine cover , to make sure that all parties are happy with the results .
of course , the company’s expansion isn’t the only thing the dees have to adjust to . they recently became parents to braeden , now a year old . and with sunnies and a son , they’ve seen their priorities shift dramatically . “when you guys ask me how i balance work with being a mom , i’m still trying to figure it out , ” she admits . “we get here , and then we meet with all the key people — you can’t naman micromanage with a business that’s growing . so we hire well … and then we get home . on a good day , braeden’s still awake . ”
of course , the downside to a visual identity that cool and confident is a misinterpretation of price point . “it’s sort of a thing we go back and forth with , because initially people thought that the sunglasses were too expensive , ” she says . “that the branding is too elevated . ” shot by the la - based filipino photographer emman montalvan , modeled by wilson , and styled and art - directed by cajucom , the sunnies ads are one of the brand’s strongest assets , now instantly recognizable and often copied . they’ve since adopted the practice of bannering the low prices on high - end - looking ads similar to uniqlo and h & m .
the prestigious store of the year awards were given to merchants that produced outstanding work and upheld the highest standards of business management and operations . this year’s awardees were restoerun ( centrio mall ) ; j . co donuts & coffee ( abreeza mall ) ; bo’s coffee ( ayala center cebu ) ; bench ( harbor point ) ; marks & spencer ( marquee mall ) ; mama lou’s ( up town center ) ; sole academy ( bonifacio high street / serendra ) ; olympic village ( market ! market ! ) ; nike park ( fairview terraces ) ; healthy options ( alabang town center ) ; lacoste ( trinoma ) ; rimowa ( greenbelt ) ; and sunnies studio ( glorietta ) .
the creative and marketing department is a treasure trove for anyone looking for creative influence . right now , its mood board , which spans an entire wall , features a variety of the group’s current inspirations , which range from their own advertisements to 90s - era johnny depp . they have copies of vogue italia , homme + , and wilson’s book with solenn heussaff , “ besties , ” lying around , as well as a bluetooth speaker that anyone can use to play music . catherine yu , sunnies’s marketing manager , says that this , along with the visual aspect , makes the office environment very relaxed . “the ambience is very creative , very conducive to creating new stuff , ” she says .
“american apparel is such an unusual company to work for , ” says cajucom , who , pre - sunnies , lived in california . “like , the creative team is so small . truthfully , when i started , we were three … i did so much when i worked there , and it kind of really equipped me for a spectrum of different kinds of job identities . because we conceptualized marketing campaigns , web ads , print ads , billboards , touched upon everything . i worked so closely with the creative director and the ceo at the time and just kind of understanding how these things work . ” ( one of the highlights of cajucom’s american apparel life ? she designed a cropped turtleneck top inspired by britney spears’ “sometimes” music video “because i really wanted a top like that . ” )
if you ' ve invested some ( more like a lot ! ) of money on a pair of sunglasses , i ' m sure you take real good care of them . i bought myself my first pricey pair of shades a year ago , and while i love them a lot , i also don ' t take them out too often because i ' m scared they might break or get lost ( ironic , isn ' t it ! ) . whenever i take a trip to the beach or out of town , i make sure to bring a cheaper pair so it doesn ' t hurt as much if something happens to them . i ' ve always gone to big chain stores or tiangges for alternative pairs but the usually have similar styles . it was such a thrill when sunnies by charlie opened because it was exactly what i ' ve been looking for , stylish , affordable , and good quality shades ! they have cat eyed , round framed , browns and blacks and most of the styles in magazines ! it ' s a great alternative ( or primary too ! ) for sunglasses , especially these days when the sun can ' t seem to catch a breath .
one of the eye - catching areas of the warehouse turned office is this two restaurant booth - like cubicles with murals by kris abrigo . photo by jl javier
magazines and other resource materials can be found around the office . photo by jl javier
photo shoots are a common occurrence for this reason — the mint green sofa cube and stairway have even appeared in the background of a few notable magazine covers and fashion editorials .
addressing the pastel pink wall and neon sign at the entrance , cajucom emphasizes the role of productivity when it came to conceptualizing the hq’s layout . “what’s really important and conducive to being productive at work is liking the space you’re in , ” she says . “also to just be visually stimulated when you come in each day . ”
it works in a way that makes it easier for everyone to coordinate with one another . toward the front are the director’s offices on the ground and the creative and marketing department on the mezzanine , while the research and development room and operations and finance department are located near the back . the quality control room is a bit higher up in an attic - like space . “i like our current setup because the marketing people are here , and right beside us are the creative people , ” says sam santos , digital marketing manager . “so it’s so much easier for me to communicate with them . ”
visual cues and inspirations can be found around the office so people can feel motivated and productive . photos by jl javier
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she continues , “when you go to the store , you pick your frame , you get your eyes tested in less than five minutes and get your eyeglasses after two hours . that’s how we wanted it . ”
“the thing that sets us apart is our one price for all . so any frame that you choose , whether it’s a different material , it has the same price , ” explains finance director eric dee .
the specs basic package worth p1 , 999 includes an eye exam , frame and graded lenses . the lenses are multi - coated single vision with uv protection , and are anti - glare , anti - scratch , anti - reflective and water resistant .