NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. – Vivera Pharmaceuticals today announced the introduction of Vivera BioSciences, a new division of the Company focused exclusively on research and innovation in drug delivery. This newly created division will utilize the expertise of several pharmaceutical industry veterans to design medications to improve pharmacokinetics and adherence through patented and patent-pending drug delivery technologies.
“We have put together a team of experts I am proud to work with,” said Paul Edalat, Chairman and CEO of Vivera. “Our mission is to improve the lives of our patients by lessening side effects and creating more accessible methods of delivery. Quality of life is the most important patient outcome for our team.”
Vivera BioSciences will be led by Vivera’s Chief Medical Officer, Stephen J. McColgan, M.D., M.B.A. With over 30 years of experience in medical and surgical device development, Dr. McColgan will use his expertise to guide the direction and expansion of Vivera BioSciences.
Dr. McColgan and the Company have put together a team of trusted and dedicated industry experts to guide Vivera BioSciences, naming world-renowned clinical researcher and former Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience at the UC Riverside School of Medicine, Gerald A. Maguire, M.D., D.F.A.P.A., the Chief Advisor of the Neurosciences Division within Vivera BioSciences. Dr. Maguire brings over three decades of experience as an academic psychiatrist and has served as principal investigator for numerous studies involving investigational medications for various neuropsychiatric disorders.
“We are excited to have Dr. Maguire on our Advisory board,” said Dr. McColgan. “His expertise in neuropsychiatric disorders will be instrumental to the success of Vivera BioSciences.”
As the Chief Advisor of the Neurosciences Division, Dr. Maguire will focus on developing and implementing strategies to maximize the commercialization of the Company’s two proprietary technologies, ZICOH® and TABMELT®.
ZICOH® is the Company’s medication delivery system designed to prevent prescription misuse and improve communication through the medication supply chain. TABMELT® is a patented and patent-pending novel sublingual drug delivery system that allows patients to take medication by dissolving it under the tongue.
“I am honored to be advising Vivera BioSciences through the discovery and development of novel pharmacologic therapies,” said Dr. Maguire. “Together, we will bring innovative neuro regimens to the market to fulfill the unmet needs of our community.”
Dr. Maguire brings decades of experience in collaborating with researchers, clinicians, and other professionals with outstanding scholarly credentials worldwide. Vivera BioSciences will utilize his expertise and vast network to discover new therapeutic approaches utilizing ZICOH® and TABMELT® to treat several neuropsychiatric conditions, including major depressive disorder, insomnia, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and childhood-onset fluency disorder (stuttering), a condition he shares with one percent of the world’s population.
Company Advisor Bobby W. Sandage, Jr., Ph.D., has also joined the Vivera BioSciences Division. With nearly four decades of pharmaceutical experience in drug development, regulatory affairs, and life sciences venture capital, Dr. Sandage will help to ensure the Company maintains the highest standard of pharmaceutical operations.
Also joining the Vivera BioSciences Division will be Mehdi Hatamian, Ph.D. Dr. Hatamian has over 40 years of experience as an electrical engineer and scientist. He has successfully generated several patents, including those granted for ZICOH®. His expertise in turning concepts into products will be fundamental to the progression of Vivera BioSciences.
Since day one, Vivera’s mission has always been to put patients first. By creating Vivera BioSciences, a division dedicated to discovering, developing, and bringing innovative drug therapies to the market to better patients’ lives, the Company continues to honor that mission.
About Vivera Pharmaceuticals
Vivera Pharmaceuticals is an innovative, science-driven pharmaceutical company located in Southern California. The Company has global exclusivity to license the patented and patent-pending TABMELT® sublingual drug delivery system for pharmaceutical use and holds its own issued patents on ZICOH®, a smart dose-controlled medical device. With multiple divisions, including its pharmaceutical, neurosciences, medical technology, and advanced diagnostics divisions, Vivera Pharmaceuticals is vertically integrated with patented technology, manufacturing capabilities, and distribution for its products.
