Product details

Michael Geranen and Joe Roberts forged a business relationship around a disruptive drug delivery technology that was developed by Dr Cherng-ju Kim, a researcher and Professor at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, College of Pharmacy. After an exclusive licensing agreement was negotiated with the University, EZRA Innovations, LLC began the long and arduous process of capitalizing on a flexible and low cost series of technologies that enabled EZRA to compete in the international pharmaceutical industry. EZRA reformulated drugs that were currently available in the marketplace that faced little or no competition, using drug delivery patents that EZRA had licensed. The aim was to become one of the first generic drug competitors to enter the market, and though competitive market entry put downward pressure on drug prices, maintain what was referred to as premium-priced generics. While many drugs took 10 years or more and cost upwards of USD100 million to develop, EZRA's business model offered an accelerated FDA pathway to market and the potential for exponential investor returns within 4-5 years. EZRA first needed to decide how much money to raise and then, how to craft an impactful message to acquire those funds. The challenge was to adequately allay investor fears around a complex business model while still knowing each drug they developed had to negotiate the complex world of FDA filing and approvals.