The global healthcare industry has seen explosive growth over the last decade. Alongside that progression, there are still massive challenges to overcome for leaders in the healthcare space who develop solutions for global public health emergencies like the opioid epidemic.
Vivera puts patients first by thoughtfully developing life-changing therapeutics and devices with the patient experience in mind.
Prescription drug abuse has compounded into a major problem, costing over $1.5 trillion annually to manage in the U.S. alone. A reported 16 million people misused prescriptions last year, with an estimated 10% of those patients developing substance use disorder. Annual overdose deaths have reached record levels, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting more than 109,000 deaths from a drug overdose in the last year alone. With the need for immediate attention, Companies like Vivera Pharmaceuticals are developing devices and software solutions to combat prescription drug abuse.
During an interview with CEOViews, Paul Edalat, Chairman and CEO of Vivera, shared his insights on the topic and how Vivera plans to use innovative technology to address the opioid crisis.
Inspiration
Before getting into the organization’s operations, Paul shared his personal story that led to Vivera’s inception. “In 2004, my younger brother Peter was diagnosed with an aggressive form of Hodgkin’s lymphoma. During his battle with cancer, I witnessed many flaws within our healthcare system. One significant problem I noticed was the way medications were prescribed and dispensed. Peter’s doctor prescribed him high doses of opioids to help manage pain and side effects from chemotherapy. There weren’t any safety measures to prevent my brother from taking more medication than prescribed, and Peter became addicted to these medications. It was difficult to watch my brother struggle to overcome not only his cancer but also his addiction. Ultimately, he lost his battle to both. I realized we needed a more effective and dose-controlled way to prescribe and dispense medications with a system like ZICOH developed by a company like Vivera that cares about patients.”
Fulfilling Patient Needs
“Vivera puts patients first by thoughtfully developing life-changing therapeutics and devices with the patient experience in mind. The Company continuously develops products and services to benefit the end user. Vivera has an incredible team of medical staff and experts, but at the end of the day, our patients come first.”
“The positive change Vivera is making in the healthcare industry gives me an optimistic outlook for the Company’s future and the future of healthcare innovation. There are several big projects the team is working on at Vivera, but one of the most exciting is ZICOH.”
Mr. Edalat said about the project, “ZICOH is our patented, dose-controlled, intelligent, electronic medication delivery device designed to revolutionize how medications are prescribed and taken. ZICOH pairs with ZICOH Connect, a synchronized, cloud-based software system, to collect and aggregate prescribing and dispensing data, generating actionable insights for providers to improve patient adherence and increase prescribing oversight for addictive and controlled medications. This device and system will be the first of its kind.”
Keeping up With the Trends
“Technology is constantly changing, and Vivera’s Medical Technologies and Medical Device divisions not only place a strong emphasis on keeping up with emerging technologies to remain competitive but are also a part of developing new and disruptive medical technologies like ZICOH that will change the future of healthcare. This year, Vivera added three executive-level Silicon Valley technology experts to serve on its Advisory Board, including Mr. Guido Jouret, Ph.D., as Senior Technology Advisor and Interim Chief Technology Officer, Mr. Robert Massoudi as Senior Technology Advisor and Interim Chief Evolution Officer, and Mr. Bryan Hughes as Senior Technology Advisor.”
Challenges
“Vivera is changing everything from how prescribing data is collected and analyzed to how medications can be delivered with better adherence while improving compliance and oversight. While the healthcare industry is adaptive, there are many barriers to entry and, of course, like any industry, resistance to change. Running a business always has its daily challenges, and of course, the team faces significant challenges as it invents, develops, and works to commercialize its products. However, our team stays focused by cutting out the noise and focusing on patients and end goals.”
Giving Back to Society
“From the beginning, the team at Vivera has been vocal about bringing positive change to society. The Company’s non-profit organization, Vivera Cares, is dedicated to making a positive difference in vulnerable communities both domestically and worldwide by finding innovative ways to support patients, medical providers, organizations, and their local communities.”
Most recently, Vivera proudly supported local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and first responders for a complex, coordinated terrorist attack exercise. The Company welcomed five public safety agencies to use its Mission Viejo location as the training’s operational center and donated masks made in the United States.
The positive change Vivera is making in the healthcare industry gives me an optimistic outlook for the Company’s future and the future of healthcare innovation.
Vivera has also participated in various other philanthropic endeavors. In 2019, the Company partnered with the Yale International Clinic to help provide much-needed health care and health education to children in the Dominican Republic.
The Future of the Industry
“Advanced data collection and artificial intelligence (AI) are almost requirements in the tech industry, and they are one of the key features in Vivera’s patented ZICOH device. I think the Company will begin to realize its potential in 2023. The goal is to enable healthcare providers to make real-time, personalized decisions about patient care that will translate to better patient outcomes. Vivera is looking forward to a future where the Company is not only increasing patient life span but health span too with the use of technology and AI.”
Mr. Edalat finished with, “The way that Tesla disrupted the automotive industry and Apple transformed the telecommunications industry is what Vivera is doing to the prescription dispensing industry with unique, cutting-edge technologies and actionable solutions to ultimately make a difference in patient’s lives.”
