Meet the Pharmaceutical Drugs & Medical Devices Finalists!

Nov 11, 2015

Pharmaceutical Drugs & Medical Devices:

Pharmaceutical drugs & medical devices are essential to saving lives, and they give someone with a negative prognosis hope and a positive outlook. They keep us alive and help cure the once thought incurable. Did you know that many of these life-changing pharmaceutical drugs are being created right here in San Diego?

PureWick for PureWick

Here are answers to the blog questions provided by President, Camille Newton, MD. 

CONNECT: What’s your biggest achievement to date?

Newton: Our biggest achievement was reaching production and sales solely through self-funding. Our team made this possible by providing PureWick with a FDA approved, ISO certified facility right from the start. This was enhanced by their knowledge and experience in lean manufacturing and marketing.

CONNECT: What’s the biggest obstacle or challenge you’ve overcome?

Newton: Our biggest challenge has been in designing and building a product inexpensively. We want the PureWick solution to be affordable for women, comfortable and easy to use, and contribute to reduction of healthcare cost overall. Our strategy focused on simplicity of design and manufacturing with off the shelf parts.   

CONNECT: What’s the best thing about having your business in San Diego?

Newton: San Diego also offers a wealth of talent, largely stimulated by our local universities. There is a good choice of engineering services and parts suppliers. We have also found that assistance and resources available through CONNECT are a big bonus.

CONNECT: What’s your favorite go to-app right now? 

Newton: As a physician, I often look up pharmaceutical information on Epocrates.  And of course, I’m an avid gardener, so I’m always checking the weather app looking for rain.

CONNECT: In your opinion, what’s the best innovation in the last 25 years?

Newton: I see patients in their homes and I rely heavily on GPS, but the smartphone is the greatest innovation by far. I think it is so cool that I can push a button on my ear (my blue tooth) and tell my phone to send a text or even ask it a question. Smart phones are also enabling wireless medicine. This is significant to PureWick, as urine offers a wealth of data about health.

CONNECT: What’s your favorite business blog or book?

Newton: I’m currently enjoying ‘Talk Like Ted’ by Carmine Gallo. The book says that you should put ‘stories’ in your talks, so now I have an excuse – because I love to tell stories about my patients and their successes with PureWick.

CONNECT: What does being a finalist in the Most Innovative New Product Awards mean to you?

Newton: It gives us a big boost. We are sending press releases out to everyone, including potential investors and potential licensees. It validates our efforts, gives us credibility and exposure, and will ultimately help speed the delivery of the PureWick solution to millions of women who need it now.

 

RXSAFE for RxASP 1000

Here are the answers to your questions from CEO, William Holmes:

CONNECT: What’s your biggest achievement to date?

Holmes: Obtaining 55 patents governing all aspects of our technology and processes.

CONNECT: What’s the biggest obstacle or challenge you’ve overcome?

Holmes: Navigating a new market with a paradigm-shifting solution.

CONNECT: What’s the best thing about having your business in San Diego?

Holmes: San Diego is a rich business environment, and the quality of businesses here has allowed us to develop a very capable supplier base. 95% of our components and raw materials are sourced from businesses in San Diego County.

CONNECT: What’s your favorite go to-app right now?

Holmes: I’m on the road so much that the Egencia app is a must.

CONNECT: In your opinion, what’s been the best innovation in the last 25 years?

Holmes: Cloud-based computing has transformed the way we do business. My company would not be able to function without the lean infrastructure requirements enabled by the cloud. It has truly leveled the playing field and allowed us to compete directly and successfully with multi-billion dollar corporations.

CONNECT: What’s your favorite business blog or book?

Holmes: Crossing the Chasm

CONNECT: What does being a finalist in the Most Innovative New Product Awards mean to you?

Holmes: It’s a unique opportunity for us to connect with the broader business community in San Diego, and it’s a distinct honor for my team to be recognized for the innovative work we do every day.

Tandem Diabetes Care for t: flex Insulin Pump

“In Tandem” means together or in conjunction with, and Tandem strives to embody this in every part of its business. They believe working in tandem, not individually, is the way to continually exceed expectations. With the diabetes community, Tandem develops products designed by and for their customers, with other technology leaders to maximize innovation for the end user, and internally across departments to accelerate new designs and product improvements.

Innovation and quality are deeply embedded in the company culture and they are reshaping how medical devices are designed and ultimately used. This commitment shows in the work they’ve done in the development, launch, and support of their cutting-edge insulin pumps and t:connect® Diabetes Management Application, as well as in their exciting product pipeline. 

For convenience and ease of use, the t:flex® Insulin Pump just fits. It is designed to help make your day-to-day insulin management as simple as possible, by giving you more freedom and flexibility than you get with injections. The t:flex Pump is small and discreet, but has enough capacity to meet your daily insulin needs.