Pharmaceutical Channel

  Michael Baldzicki, Chief Brand Officer at AscellaHealth, a global specialty pharmacy and healthcare solutions company joins eHealth Radio and the Healthcare and Pharmaceutical Information Channels to talk about the company’s comprehensive suite of Specialty Pharmacy services for pharmaceutical/biotech manufacturers. Listen to interview with host Eric Michaels and guest Michael Baldzicki discuss the following: Can you give our listeners information on your background and role with AscellaHealth? Please describe the AscellaHealth business model and how the company serves life sciences in the specialty pharmacy and healthcare industry.  AscellaHealth has an exciting new strategic alliance with Optime Care. Can you tell our listeners what this partnership means for others in the industry? AscellaHealth recently came out with some expanded services. Can you explain these new offerings and their benefits for key market segments that AscellaHealth serves?   In the current healthcare environment, it seems people are lacking customizable options. Can you speak to the flexibility of AscellaHealth’s solutions and how this ultimately serves to enhance outcomes of branded products? As chief brand officer for AscellaHealth, Mike ensures the success of the widest variety of strategic projects across departmental segments, and other business development initiatives that cultivate opportunities that affect client segments. With more than 21+ years of specialty pharmacy, pharmaceutical and biotech industry experience, including roles in national and regional managed markets, specialty supply channels, sales management and specialty brand management. Mike offers strategic insight into specialty pharmacy trends, distribution, contracting, reimbursement, and the application of health outcomes and economic evidence to prove value proposition. He is a recognized leader in the specialty pharmaceutical market for developing and implementing key payer and specialty pharmacy agreements that result in documented savings for specialty market segments. Mike is active in the biotech community and is an advisor/faculty member of the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) for Specialty Pharmacy Advisory Group & Biosimilars Partnership Forum, NCPDP Specialty Pharmacy Stakeholder Action Group, Faulty Board Member of the American Journal of Managed Care (AJMC) Specialty Pharmacy for ACOs and was 2014 Editorial Board Member for Specialty Pharmacy Times. He has published abstracts and articles surrounding plasma-based infusion therapy, and managed markets and specialty pharmacy. He has spoken at a variety of seminars and WebEx’s within specialty groups and other industry related settings. Mike earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management and a Certificate in Clinical Research Compliance and Management (CRCM). He has completed programs in leadership development at Harvard University, Brooks Group, Miller Heiman Account Management and MD Anderson Center Cancer Courses.     Website: https://ascellahealth.com  Linkedin: https://.linkedin.com/company/ascellahealth 

    Anthony DiTonno CEO of Tenax Therapeutics, a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on identifying, developing, and commercializing products that address cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases with high unmet medical needs joins eHealth Radio and the Health News and Pharmaceutical Channels. Listen to interview with host Eric Michaels & guest Anthony DiTonno discuss the following: Can you tell me a bit about yourself and how you got interested in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry? What products are in the pipeline? Could you please tell us about Tenax's HELP study? Please let us and talk a little about Levosimendan. Anthony A. DiTonno has served as CEO since 2018 and as a director since December 2011. From 2013 until filling the role as Tenax CEO, Mr. DiTonno served as Chief Executive Officer of Avantis Medical Systems, Inc., a medical device company that develops and manufactures catheter-based endoscopic devices. From April 2003 until December 2011, Mr. DiTonno was President and Chief Executive Officer of Neurogesx Inc., a biopharmaceutical company based in the San Francisco Bay area (“Neurogesx”). During his time at Neurogesx, Mr. DiTonno also served on its board of directors. Mr. DiTonno has funded companies through a variety of financial arrangements including private and public financing, partnerships and debt. He has also been successful in gaining regulatory approvals in both the United States and European Union. Previously, he was Executive Vice President of Marketing and Sales at Enteric Medical Technologies Inc., which was acquired by Boston Scientific Company; President and Chief Executive Officer of Lifesleep Systems, Inc.; and Vice President and General Manager of Olcassen Pharmaceuticals, which was sold to Watson Laboratories. Early in his career, he held a variety of positions of increasing responsibility at Rorer Group, Inc. (Rhône Poulenc Rorer) and Wyeth Laboratories. Mr. DiTonno received an M.B.A. from Drexel University and a B.S. in Business Administration from St. Joseph’s University.     Website: www.tenaxthera.com

    Chris Bunka, the CEO of Lexaria Bioscience, a Lexaria Bioscience Corp.’s proprietary drug delivery technology, DehydraTECH™, that improves the way active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) enter the bloodstream by promoting healthier ingestion methods and increasing the effectiveness of fat-soluble active molecules, thereby lowering overall dosing joins eHealth Radio and the Health News and Pharmaceutical Channels. Listen to interview with host Eric Michaels and guest Chris Bunka discuss the following: Please tell us a little bit about yourself, how Lexaria Bioscience started and the development of the company’s technology? What exactly are DehydraTECH and its benefits? Can you talk about your recent announcement with British American Tobacco? What are fat-soluble active molecules and how can your technology lower overall dosing with pharmaceutical ingredients? What type of drugs and areas can DehydraTECH increase bio-absorption? Lexaria Bioscience Corp.’s (OTCQX: LXRP, CSE: LXX) proprietary drug delivery technology, DehydraTECH™, improves the way active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) enter the bloodstream by promoting healthier ingestion methods and increasing the effectiveness of fat-soluble active molecules, thereby lowering overall dosing. The Company’s technology can be applied to many different ingestible product formats, including foods, beverages, oral suspensions, tablets, and capsules. DehydraTECH increases bio-absorption by up to 5-10x, reduces time of onset from 1 - 2 hours to 10 - 20 minutes, and masks unwanted tastes for orally administered bioactive molecules, including anti-virals, cannabinoids, vitamins, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), nicotine, and other molecules. Lexaria has licensed DehydraTECH to multiple companies including a world-leading tobacco producer for the development of smokeless, oral-based nicotine products and for use in industries that produce cannabinoid beverages, edibles, and oral products. Lexaria operates a licensed in-house research laboratory and holds a robust intellectual property portfolio with 16 patents granted and over 60 patents pending worldwide.     Website: lexariabioscience.com Social Media Links: Facebook: facebook.com/lexariabioscience Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/lexaria-bioscience Twitter: twitter.com/LexariaBioCorp

  Myron Holubiak, President and CEO of Citius Pharmaceuticals, and Leonard Mazur, Chairman of the Board at Citius Pharmaceuticals, a specialty late-stage pharmaceutical company dedicated to the development and commercialization of critical care products with a focus on anti-infectives and cancer care joins eHealth Radio and the Cancer Information and Health News Channels. Listen to interview with host Eric Michaels and guests Myron Holubiak & Leonard Mazur discuss the following: Please give us an overview of catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs) and central venous catheters (CVCs). Who is at Risk for Catheter-Related Bloodstream Infections (CRBSIs)? Please give us a brief description of Minolok and how does it help the standard of care in the management of CRBSIs? Give us a brief description of our NoveCite subsidiary and the impact of Covid 19 patients w ARDS. What is your technology and why is it different? How is the development of MinoWrap for mastectomies progressing after your collaboration w MD Andersen? Why did the both of you invest 26.5 million into the company? Mr. Mazur is an accomplished entrepreneur and pharmaceutical industry executive with notable accomplishments in founding, building and creating value and returns for investors. Mr. Mazur was the Chairman of Leonard Meron Biosciences, Inc. prior to its merger with Citius in March 2016. He is the cofounder and Vice Chairman of Akrimax Pharmaceuticals, LLC (“Akrimax”), a privately held pharmaceutical company specializing in producing cardiovascular and general pharmaceutical products. Akrimax was founded in September 2008, and has successfully launched prescription drugs while acquiring drugs from major pharmaceutical companies. From January 2005 to May 2012, Mr. Mazur also co-founded and served as the Chief Operating Officer of Triax Pharmaceuticals LLC (“Triax”), a specialty pharmaceutical company producing prescription dermatological drugs. Prior to joining Triax, he was the founder, and, from 1995 to 2005, Chief Executive Officer, of Genesis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Genesis”), a dermatological products company that marketed its products through dermatologists’ offices, and co-promoted products for major pharmaceutical companies. In 2003, Mr. Mazur successfully sold Genesis to Pierre Fabre, a leading pharmaceutical company. Mr. Mazur has extensive sales, marketing and business development experience from his tenures at Medicis Pharmaceutical Corporation, as Executive Vice President, ICN Pharmaceuticals, Inc., as Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Knoll Pharma (a division of BASF), and Cooper Laboratories, Inc. Mr. Mazur is a member of the Board of Trustees of Manor College, and is a recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. Mr. Mazur received both his BA and MBA from Temple University, and has served in the US Marine Corps Reserves. Mr. Holubiak has extensive experience in managing and leading both large and emerging pharmaceutical and life sciences companies. Mr. Holubiak was co-founder, director and CEO of Leonard Meron Biosciences, Inc. prior to its merger with Citius in March 2016. Mr. Holubiak was the President of Roche Laboratories, Inc. (“Roche”), a major research-based pharmaceutical company, from December 1998 to August 2001. Prior to that, he held sales and marketing positions at Roche during his 19-year tenure there. As President of Roche, Mr. Holubiak helped transform Roche Labs into a leading antibiotic and biotechnology company. He was also founder of Emron, Inc., a health economics and managed care consulting company, and helped to create the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP). Mr. Holubiak was also a director of Bioscrip, Inc., a national home infusion company, from 2002 through 2016, and served as its Chairman of the Board from 2012 through 2016. Since July 2010, Mr. Holubiak has served as a member of the Board of Directors of Assembly Biosciences, Inc. (“Assembly”) and its predecessor, Ventrus Biosciences, Inc. Mr. Holubiak is also a trustee of the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy Foundation. He received a BS in Molecular Biology and Biophysics from the University of Pittsburgh; he received advanced business training from the Harvard Business School and the University of London, as well as advanced training in health economics from the University of York’s Centre for Health Economics.     Website: citiuspharma.com

  Bob Rowland, the President and COO of Grane Rx, the nation’s leading senior care pharmacy and medication management provider joins eHealth Radio and the Health News & Pharmaceutical Channels. Listen to interview with host Eric Michaels and guest Bob Rowland discuss the following: What does Grane Rx do and who do you serve? What measures does Grane Rx take to reduce disease transmission in medication administration and management given we are in a once in a century Pandemic? What is Grane Rx’s Meds2Home program and who does it serve? You previously mentioned PACE, what exactly is PACE and what is Grane Rx’s role in supporting this program. In light of the pandemic, how has Grane Rx evolved to respond to changing conditions?     Grane Rx is the nation’s leading senior care pharmacy and medication management provider. For over 25 years Grane Rx has been delivering end-to-end pharmacy services, clinical consulting, staff training and on-going support, pharmacy transition facilitation, precision medication, and state-of-the-art pharmacy technology and automation. All Grane Rx solutions are designed to streamline senior care operations, optimize care and manage costs. Grane Rx works closely with our clients to build a collaborative relationship and ensure a smooth pharmacy transition. Bob Rowland has been leading high performance healthcare companies for over three decades. As an industry veteran with extensive operational, financial and management experience, Bob effectively drives results for smart business growth. Currently serving as the Grane Rx President and COO, he has built a profitable and sustainable business model for the company. Under his strong leadership, vision and financial acumen, Grane Rx has grown from 60 employees to nearly 300 employees and from one pharmacy location serving Western Pennsylvania to three pharmacy locations servicing the United States. Grane Rx is continuing to expand its services and customer base in response to changing market conditions and new opportunities. In 2006, Grane Rx strategically added PACE pharmacy to its line-up of services--a rapidly growing area in senior pharmacy care. Upon joining Grane Rx in 2007, Bob took over stewardship of the company’s PACE services business unit. Today Grane Rx is one of the nation’s leading PACE pharmacy and medication management providers serving three of the largest PACE organizations in the country. Grane Rx also runs three state-of-the-art pharmacies in strategic locations throughout the U.S. The second and third pharmacies were added under Bob’s leadership and have contributed to the scalable growth of the company. The addition of these pharmacies opened up new geographical opportunities enabling Grane Rx to serve customers across the country with the necessary speed. Prior to his tenure at Grane Rx, Bob founded NurseMD at Home, a physician house call practice serving the frail elderly population. Bob and his team of medical prescribers serviced over 300 patients unable to see their primary care physician on a regular basis. Bob’s work with Orange Belt Pharmacy Group provided the impetus for him to found NurseMD at Home. Bob served as CEO for Orange Belt Pharmacy, a retail and LTC pharmacy group with home medical equipment supplier based out of Central, Florida from 1999 to 2004. There he led a team of 50 employees servicing seniors in multiple settings and enhancing processes and systems. He introduced the one of the first high volume pouch packing devices in Florida to service nursing home residents. In the late 90’s Bob served as the Post Acute Care Director for CareLink, a wholly owned subsidiary of Orlando Health. There he led a team who managed seniors in nursing homes, home health, DME, retail pharmacy, home infusion pharmacy, and private duty services. In the late 80’s, Bob served as a senior reimbursement manager at HCR. He led a team of financial personnel who focused on sub-acute care reimbursement and program development. Bob has held auditing and consulting roles with Ernst & Young and KPMG Peat Marwick firms. Bob is happily married to his spouse Michelle for 37 years. He has three beautiful adult children and two perfect grandsons. His mom is a healthy 84.     Learn More about Grane Rx & PACE:Grane Rx: www.granerx.com   PACE: www.granerx.com/aboutPACE

    Dr. Lakeisha Richardson, a leading Ob/Gyn based in Mississippi and a paid spokesperson for the maker of Lo Loestrin® Fe joins eHealth Radio and the Health News and Pregnancy Channels. Listen to interview with host Eric Michaels & guest Dr. Lakeisha Richardson discuss the following: Why is it important to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the birth control pill this year? How do women decide what oral contraceptive is right for them? When will one be able to get pregnant if they stay on birth control for a long time? How does somone get birth control if their annual appointment has been postponed? What should one do if they miss a dose of their birth control pill? Dr. Lakeisha Richardson, MD, FACOG is a leading obstetrician/gynecologist and women’s health expert based in Mississippi and a paid spokesperson for the maker of Lo Loestrin® Fe. Website: www.Loloestrin.com Social Media Links: Facebook: facebook.com/LoLoestrinFe  Instagram: instagram.com/loloestrinferx

    Paula Ragan, the CEO of X4 Pharmaceuticals, a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company and a leader in the discovery and development of novel therapies with a focus on rare disease joins eHealth Radio and the Health News and Pharmaceutical Channels. Listen to interview with host Eric Michaels & guest Paula Ragan discuss the following: Can you tell us about your background? Where you're from, how you came to be interested in rare disease? What is the science behind CXCR4 and what role does it play in the functioning of the immune system? What is mavorixafor, what is its origin and how does it work? What clinical studies are your currently in? What is WHIM syndrome? How is someone generally diagnosed with the condition and how does your treatment help? You are also looking at mavorixafor as a treatment for certain cancers. What happens to the immune systems in these cancers and what is mavorixafor expected to do? Can you tell me about your current partnerships and collaborations? Dr. Ragan has been X4’s President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of the X4 Board of Directors since July 2014. She has more than 18 years of experience building companies in the biotechnology industry. Prior to founding X4, Dr. Ragan consulted as Chief Business Officer at Lysosomal Therapeutics Inc., a private biopharmaceutical company, where she led the company’s business development activities. Prior to that, Dr. Ragan held leadership roles in corporate development and operations at Genzyme Corporation, a Sanofi company, where she led strategic partnering efforts for Genzyme’s Rare Disease business and headed the supply chain planning for Genzyme’s flagship commercial products. Other professional roles include business roles at Hydra Biosciences, Oscient Corporation and Celera Corporation. Dr. Ragan received her B.S. from Tufts University and her Ph.D. from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and completed post-doctoral studies at Harvard Medical School.     Website: www.x4pharma.com Social Media Links: Twitter: twitter.com/X4Pharma  Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/x4-pharmaceuticals

  Art Clapp, Founder & CEO of Nuvothera, a Fort Worth, TX-based biotech company formed by seasoned dermatology pharmaceutical executives with the mission of developing novel OTC products for chronic, difficult-to-treat skin diseases such as psoriasis joins eHealth Radio and the Dermatology and Pharmaceutical Channels.   Listen to interview with host Eric Michaels & guest Art Clapp discuss the following: Why did you start the company Nuvothera? Why did you focus your product development on Turmeric? How does turmeric have so many health benefits? What is different about your turmeric? What are other wellness suggestions beyond supplements? Art Clapp is Founder & CEO of Nuvothera, a Fort Worth, TX-based biotech company formed by seasoned dermatology pharmaceutical executives with the mission of developing novel OTC products for chronic, difficult-to-treat skin diseases such as psoriasis. Nuvothera’s products incorporate natural botanical ingredients and use the latest in scientific knowledge and evidence-based research. Currently, the company has two products in its portfolio, both available via the company website and on Amazon: Prosoria™ Daily Psoriasis Treatment System and Nuvothera™ Super-Micronized™ Turmeric Curcumin. Both dermatologists (MDs) and scientists (PhDs) were involved in developing these products, which are dermatology and clinically tested and proven. In 2018, Art was named Entrepeneur of the Year by the Fort Worth Business Press and Nuvothera won the Tech FW (Fort Worth) Impact Award for a product that has the potential to impact our world. Art has three decades of experience in pharmaceuticals managing US and international pharma markets in licensing, acquisitions, technology assessment, product development, commercialization, Rx and OTC product marketing, strategic planning, portfolio and product life-cycle management, and delivery systems. Prior to founding Nuvothera, Art spent almost two decades at Galderma in Pharmaceutical Marketing and Business development roles Fort Worth, TX and in Paris, France. He also spent thirteen years in Sales and Product managemen at Purdue Pharma in Norwalk, CT.     Website: nuvothera.com

    Dr. Scott Howell, D.O., MPH & TM, CPE, Chief Medical Officer of RDx BioScience, a single source for care quality, risk evaluation and opioid expertise powered by a fast, full-service laboratory joins eHealth Radio and the Health News and Pharmaceutical Channels.   Listen to interview with host Eric Michaels & guest Dr. Scott Howell discuss the following: How are the new synthetic opioids, as we hear a lot about Fentanyl, different than an opiate like morphine? Is Fentanyl responsible for overdose deaths? What other risks are associated? How does this impact employers? What does RDx do to help tackle the addiction crisis? Dr. Scott Howell is an acclaimed physician with over 25 years of clinical experience in medicine, public health and addiction. As the Chief Medical Officer for RDx BioScience, Scott leads our crusade to design and deliver meaningful value-based care. With expertise in the macro world of population health and day-to-day experience treating individual patients, he has deep insight into the capabilities of diagnostics in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic illness.
 Scott brings extensive managed care experience with health plans, serving as National Senior Medical Director and Chief Medical Officer, Network and Population Health, Optum Insight, Regional Chief Medical Officer, Northeast Region of Americhoice, Inc., and National Medical Director of the Managed Care, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, with responsibility for international consulting in Russia, Ukraine, Guatemala, Honduras and Haiti. He most recently as Executive Medical Director at Heritage Provider Network.
 He holds decades of hands-on practice experience, serving as Medical Director for the Broward Addiction and Recovery Center in Broward County, Florida, with oversight of a 40-bed detoxification center, 100-bed residential unit and over 5,000 outpatient visits per year in a public-funded setting. He continues to practice at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center’s Department of Addiction Medicine.
 After serving in the U.S. military for 25 years, Dr. Howell is currently on military reserve assignment with the Office of Secretary of Defense at the Department of Defense Inspector General, concentrating on the Wounded Warrior Program, BioAssurity and Ebola Outbreak Assessment.
 He earned a Master’s in Economics from the University of Miami, a Master’s in Public Health and Tropical Medicine from Tulane University, a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from California State University Fresno, and is certified by the American College of Physician Executives as a Certified Physician Executive (CPE).     Website: rdxbioscience.com Social Media Links: Facebook: facebook.com/rdxbiosciences Twitter: @rdxbioscience

    Functional medicine pioneer and thought-leader, Dr. Russell Jaffe, MD, PhD, CCN, the Senior Fellow at Health Studies Collegium & Founder of PERQUE Integrated Health and ELISA/ACT Biotechnologies joins eHealth Radio and the Health News Channel.   Listen to interview with host Eric Michaels & guest Dr. Russell Jaffe discuss the following: What are “predictive biomarkers”? Give us if you would an introduction to the 8 predictive biomarkers and why they are important? Are any of these predictive biomarkers more important than the other? Where can you find these tests? How and where can our listeners learn more about your work?   Dr. Russ Jaffe is Founder and Chairman of PERQUE Integrative Health, LLC (PIH, www.PERQUE.com) a company that offers the world scientifically proven, integrative health solutions to speed the transition from sick care to healthful caring. Dr. Jaffe has more than 40 years of experience contributing to molecular biology and clinical diagnostics. His focus is on functional, predictive tests and procedures designed to improve the precision of both diagnosis and of treatment outcomes and he has authored nearly 100 articles on the subject. He received his B.S., MD and Ph.D. from the Boston University School of Medicine, completed residency training in clinical chemistry at the National Institutes of Health and remained on the permanent senior staff before pursuing other interests, including starting the Health Studies Collegium think tank. Dr. Jaffe is board certified in Clinical Pathology and in Chemical Pathology. He is the recipient of the Merck, Sharp & Dohm Excellence in Research Award, the J.D. Lane Award, and the U.S.P.H.S. Meritorious Service Award. Dr Jaffe was honored as an International Scientist of 2003 by the IBC, Oxford, England, UK for his lifetime contributions to clinical medicine, biochemistry, immunology, methodology, and integrative health policy. He is widely published and sought to explain complex subjects to any audience.  Dr. Jaffe is also founder and chairman of ELISA/ACT Biotechnologies, and MAGique BioTherapeutics. Website: www.drrusselljaffe.com Social Media Links: Facebook: facebook.com/RMJaffe1  Twitter: @DrRussellJaffe