OPHTHOTECH CORPORATION
ONE PENN PLAZA, 35TH FLOOR
NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10119
September 20, 2013
Via EDGAR
Securities and Exchange Commission
Division of Corporation Finance
100 F Street, N.E.
Washington, D.C. 20549
| Re: | Ophthotech Corporation |
Registration Statement on Form S-1
File No. 333-190643
Request for Acceleration
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Pursuant to Rule 461 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Ophthotech Corporation (the “Registrant”) hereby requests acceleration of the effective date of its Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-190643), as amended (the “Registration Statement”), so that it may become effective at 4:00 p.m. Eastern time on September 24, 2013, or as soon thereafter as practicable.
The Registrant hereby acknowledges that:
| (a) | should the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) or the staff, acting pursuant to delegated authority, declare the Registration Statement effective, it does not foreclose the Commission from taking any action with respect to the Registration Statement; |
| (b) | the action of the Commission or the staff, acting pursuant to delegated authority, in declaring the Registration Statement effective, does not relieve the Registrant from its full responsibility for the adequacy and accuracy of the disclosure in the Registration Statement; and |
| (c) | the Registrant may not assert staff comments and the declaration of effectiveness of the Registration Statement as a defense in any proceeding initiated by the Commission or any person under the federal securities laws of the United States. |
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Very truly yours,
Ophthotech Corporation
| By: | /s/ David R. Guyer | |
| Name: | David R. Guyer, M.D. | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
[Signature Page to Request for Acceleration]