Showing posts with label Vanessa Kachadurian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vanessa Kachadurian. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Vanessa Kachadurian Bioscience - Strong Dividend Meridian Bioscience
Shares
of Meridian Bioscience (NASDAQ:VIVO) saw unusually-strong trading volume on Friday following a dividend announcement from the company, ARN reports. Approximately 488,537 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 56% from the previous session’s volume of 313,124 shares.The stock last traded at $17.69 and had previously closed at $17.34.The newly announced dividend is will be paid on Friday, February 13th. Stockholders of record on Monday, February 2nd will be paid a dividend of $0.20 per share
. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.61%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, January 29th. A number of analysts have recently weighed in on VIVO shares. Analysts at Craig Hallum upgraded shares of Meridian Bioscience from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and raised their price
target for the stock from $19.00 to $22.00 in a research note on Friday. Analysts at Zacks upgraded shares of Meridian Bioscience from an “underperform” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $17.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Analysts at Raymond James downgraded shares of Meridian Bioscience from a “market perform” rating to an “underperform” rating in a research note on Friday, January 2nd. Finally, analysts at TheStreet downgraded shares of Meridian Bioscience from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, December 5th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company. Meridian Bioscience currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $20.50.The stock has a 50-day moving average of $16.67 and a 200-day moving average of $18.17. The company
has a market cap of $739.2 million and a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.89.Meridian Bioscience (NASDAQ:VIVO) last released its earnings data on Thursday, January 22nd. The company reported $0.19 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting the analysts’ consensus estimate of $0.19. The company had revenue of $48.00 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $46.20 million. Analysts expect that Meridian Bioscience will post $0.86 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Meridian Bioscience, Inc (NASDAQ:VIVO) is an integrated life science company. The Company is engaged in developing, manufacturing, selling and distribution of clinical diagnostic test kits, for certain gastrointestinal, viral, respiratory and parasitic infectious diseases; the manufacture and distribution of bulk antigens, antibodies, polymerase chain reaction (PCR)/ quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) reagents, nucleotides, competent cells and bioresearch reagents used by researchers and other diagnostic manufacturers, and the contract development and manufacture of proteins and other biologicals under cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) conditions for use by biopharmaceutical and biotechnology companies
engaged in research for new drugs and vaccines.
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Vanessa Kachadurian, Bioscience firm in Colorado raised $2.274 million in new funding
BOULDER - Mosaic Biosciences Inc. raised $2.274 million in new funding, according to a federal regulatory document.
In all, the Boulder-based company plans to raise $2.31 million in all in the latest funding round, according to the federal regulatory document. Company co-founder and president Marty Stanton did not immediately return a call requesting comment.
Mosaic makes a water-soluble gel that can be used to fill and heal wounds. The gel currently is going through testing required to receive U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval. It's made of polyethylene glycol, which also is used in cosmetics, drugs and food additives in the United States.
Stanton co-founded the company in 2009 with research colleagues at the University of Colorado-Boulder, including Pete Mariner, Kristi Anseth and Chris Bowman. The company licensed the gel substance for an undisclosed sum from Anseth's research lab at CU-Boulder, where it was developed over a period of five years.
The gel substance has biophysical and biochemical properties that support a patient's tissue structure. As a wound heals, the gel is taken over by healthy cells and dissolves into the body over a two-week period, according to Mariner.
The tissue-regeneration substance also can be used in bone regeneration and cartilage repair. It can be used on patients with bed sores, or as stem-cell therapy.
Stanton previously raised $1.3 million in venture capital funding in 2011. Well-known bioscience venture capital firms HealthCare Ventures in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Morganthaler Ventures in Menlo Park, California, with an office in Boulder, High Country Ventures in Boulder and Ganot Capital LLC in Hollywood, Florida, have all put money into the company in the past.
In all, the Boulder-based company plans to raise $2.31 million in all in the latest funding round, according to the federal regulatory document. Company co-founder and president Marty Stanton did not immediately return a call requesting comment.
Mosaic makes a water-soluble gel that can be used to fill and heal wounds. The gel currently is going through testing required to receive U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval. It's made of polyethylene glycol, which also is used in cosmetics, drugs and food additives in the United States.
Stanton co-founded the company in 2009 with research colleagues at the University of Colorado-Boulder, including Pete Mariner, Kristi Anseth and Chris Bowman. The company licensed the gel substance for an undisclosed sum from Anseth's research lab at CU-Boulder, where it was developed over a period of five years.
The gel substance has biophysical and biochemical properties that support a patient's tissue structure. As a wound heals, the gel is taken over by healthy cells and dissolves into the body over a two-week period, according to Mariner.
The tissue-regeneration substance also can be used in bone regeneration and cartilage repair. It can be used on patients with bed sores, or as stem-cell therapy.
Stanton previously raised $1.3 million in venture capital funding in 2011. Well-known bioscience venture capital firms HealthCare Ventures in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Morganthaler Ventures in Menlo Park, California, with an office in Boulder, High Country Ventures in Boulder and Ganot Capital LLC in Hollywood, Florida, have all put money into the company in the past.
Vanessa Kachadurian Bioscience Firm in Kansas City rewarded for adding 230 jobs!!
This is what America is all about!!!
State incentives will help a global life sciences company create 230 new jobs in south Kansas City.
Catalent Pharma Solutions Inc., which has a 50-employee workforce at 10245 Hickman Mills Drive in Marion Business Park, will receive $2.65 million through the Missouri Quality Jobs program if it meets job and investment targets, said Amy Susan, a spokeswoman for the Missouri Department of Economic Development.
Missouri Quality Jobs allows employers to retain the withholding taxes of eligible employees for a number of years.
Besides the 230 new jobs, the expansion calls for Catalent to invest $30 million in the south Kansas City site.
RELATED: Global pharma company will add 230 jobs in south KC
Based in Somerset, N.J., Catalent acquired Aptuit Inc.'s drug-development operations in Marion Business Park two years ago. Marion Business Park is the former home of Marion Laboratories and current home of Cerner Corp.'s Innovation Campus.
Gov. Jay Nixon and Kansas City Mayor Sly James are scheduled to visit the south Kansas City site Tuesday for a formal announcement of Catalent's expansion.
The expansion news is the latest of several positive economic development announcements involving Kansas City. Last month, Cerner confirmed plans to create as many as 15,000 new jobs as part of a $4.3 billion plan to redevelop the former Bannister Mall site, and Aviation Technical Services announced that it would create 500 jobs at Kansas City International Airport. Last week, Sedgwick LLP, an international law firm based in San Francisco, announced plans to create a new 100-job administrative center in Kansas City.
State incentives will help a global life sciences company create 230 new jobs in south Kansas City.
Catalent Pharma Solutions Inc., which has a 50-employee workforce at 10245 Hickman Mills Drive in Marion Business Park, will receive $2.65 million through the Missouri Quality Jobs program if it meets job and investment targets, said Amy Susan, a spokeswoman for the Missouri Department of Economic Development.
Missouri Quality Jobs allows employers to retain the withholding taxes of eligible employees for a number of years.
Besides the 230 new jobs, the expansion calls for Catalent to invest $30 million in the south Kansas City site.
RELATED: Global pharma company will add 230 jobs in south KC
Based in Somerset, N.J., Catalent acquired Aptuit Inc.'s drug-development operations in Marion Business Park two years ago. Marion Business Park is the former home of Marion Laboratories and current home of Cerner Corp.'s Innovation Campus.
Gov. Jay Nixon and Kansas City Mayor Sly James are scheduled to visit the south Kansas City site Tuesday for a formal announcement of Catalent's expansion.
The expansion news is the latest of several positive economic development announcements involving Kansas City. Last month, Cerner confirmed plans to create as many as 15,000 new jobs as part of a $4.3 billion plan to redevelop the former Bannister Mall site, and Aviation Technical Services announced that it would create 500 jobs at Kansas City International Airport. Last week, Sedgwick LLP, an international law firm based in San Francisco, announced plans to create a new 100-job administrative center in Kansas City.
Vanessa Kachadurian Bioscience response of Oxidation in Cells
Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have developed a new method for accurately measuring a key process governing a wide variety of cellular functions that may become the basis for a "health checkup" for living cells.
The NIST technique measures changes in a living cell's internal redox (reduction-oxidation) potential, a chemistry concept that expresses the favorability of reactions in which molecules or atoms either gain or lose electrons. Redox reactions are important to cell chemistry because they regulate many genes and the proteins they produce. An accurate measure of redox potential can provide insight into how well these genes are working, and in turn, whether or not the activities they control—such as differentiation and growth—are functioning normally.
To assess this, scientists customarily measure the levels of both the reduced (electrons added) and oxidized (electrons lost) forms of glutathione, a peptide the cell uses as an antioxidant. Glutathione in cells is found predominately in the reduced state, known as GSH, but some gets converted to the oxidized form, known as GSSG. A high amount of GSSG indicates a cell has suffered oxidative stress, a process believed to contribute to cell aging, breakdown, malfunction (such as cancer) and eventual death.
Unfortunately, traditional methods of obtaining this data are akin to an autopsy. The only way to measure the relative amounts of GSH and GSSG within a cell has been to rupture its membrane—killing it—and then examine the released contents.
The NIST team developed a way to measure GSH and GSSG levels in living cells in real time using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)spectroscopy, a technique that images individual molecules similar to how doctors use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to noninvasively view organs. "NMR has been shown in recent years to be a powerful tool for studying metabolites as they operate in living cells, so we felt it could work well as a noninvasive way to do the same for GSH and GSSG," says NIST research chemist Vytas Reipa.
In their proof-of-concept experiment,* the NIST researchers grew a mutant strain of yeast cells that could not manufacture their own glutathione in a medium containing the peptide tagged with a nitrogen isotope. This ensured that the only glutathione available in the cells would be detectable using NMR during its conversion from GSH to GSSG.
GSH and GSSG levels were measured by NMR for both cells at rest and under oxidative stress, and then used to calculate the changing intracellular redox potentials over time. The results showed, for the first time ever, that redox potential can serve as an indicator of how cells perform in response to oxidation in real time.
"We know that when oxidation tips the balance toward too much GSSG, we get a redox potential shifted more to the positive than it should be," Reipa explains. "A healthy cell compensates by reversing the process and when that happens, the redox potential shifts back to its original value. A sick cell, on the other hand, does not compensate and the value stays positive. Therefore, an accurate in-cell measurement of redox potential could one day help us determine how well cells can recover from oxidative stress and, as a result, give us a picture of the cell's overall health."
Currently, the NIST researchers are exploring other NMR-detectable peptides involved in reduction and oxidation processes to conduct studies with mammalian cells.
The NMR spectroscopy in this experiment was conducted at NIST's Gaithersburg, Md., facility in collaboration with NIST scientists at the Hollings Marine Laboratory (HML) in Charleston, S.C., and the Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research (IBBR) in Rockville, Md.
Source: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST
The NIST technique measures changes in a living cell's internal redox (reduction-oxidation) potential, a chemistry concept that expresses the favorability of reactions in which molecules or atoms either gain or lose electrons. Redox reactions are important to cell chemistry because they regulate many genes and the proteins they produce. An accurate measure of redox potential can provide insight into how well these genes are working, and in turn, whether or not the activities they control—such as differentiation and growth—are functioning normally.
To assess this, scientists customarily measure the levels of both the reduced (electrons added) and oxidized (electrons lost) forms of glutathione, a peptide the cell uses as an antioxidant. Glutathione in cells is found predominately in the reduced state, known as GSH, but some gets converted to the oxidized form, known as GSSG. A high amount of GSSG indicates a cell has suffered oxidative stress, a process believed to contribute to cell aging, breakdown, malfunction (such as cancer) and eventual death.
Unfortunately, traditional methods of obtaining this data are akin to an autopsy. The only way to measure the relative amounts of GSH and GSSG within a cell has been to rupture its membrane—killing it—and then examine the released contents.
The NIST team developed a way to measure GSH and GSSG levels in living cells in real time using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)spectroscopy, a technique that images individual molecules similar to how doctors use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to noninvasively view organs. "NMR has been shown in recent years to be a powerful tool for studying metabolites as they operate in living cells, so we felt it could work well as a noninvasive way to do the same for GSH and GSSG," says NIST research chemist Vytas Reipa.
In their proof-of-concept experiment,* the NIST researchers grew a mutant strain of yeast cells that could not manufacture their own glutathione in a medium containing the peptide tagged with a nitrogen isotope. This ensured that the only glutathione available in the cells would be detectable using NMR during its conversion from GSH to GSSG.
GSH and GSSG levels were measured by NMR for both cells at rest and under oxidative stress, and then used to calculate the changing intracellular redox potentials over time. The results showed, for the first time ever, that redox potential can serve as an indicator of how cells perform in response to oxidation in real time.
"We know that when oxidation tips the balance toward too much GSSG, we get a redox potential shifted more to the positive than it should be," Reipa explains. "A healthy cell compensates by reversing the process and when that happens, the redox potential shifts back to its original value. A sick cell, on the other hand, does not compensate and the value stays positive. Therefore, an accurate in-cell measurement of redox potential could one day help us determine how well cells can recover from oxidative stress and, as a result, give us a picture of the cell's overall health."
Currently, the NIST researchers are exploring other NMR-detectable peptides involved in reduction and oxidation processes to conduct studies with mammalian cells.
The NMR spectroscopy in this experiment was conducted at NIST's Gaithersburg, Md., facility in collaboration with NIST scientists at the Hollings Marine Laboratory (HML) in Charleston, S.C., and the Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research (IBBR) in Rockville, Md.
Source: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Vanessa Kachadurian Biosciences for CNS increasing in USA, Retrophin, Inc., acquires Kyalin Bioscience
Vanessa Kachadurian Bioscience studies why there is so much technology focusing on CNS. Hint Hint, it has to do with an aging population and an average person losing between 10,000 and 50,000 brain cells a day.
Acquisition expands
Retrophin's CNS Pipeline
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS
WIRE)--December 12, 2013--
Retrophin, Inc. (OTCQB:
RTRX) today announced that it will acquire privately-held Kyalin Biosciences,
Inc., an early-stage company based in San Diego, CA, that is developing
therapies targeting the core symptoms of autism and related conditions. Its
lead product is an optimized intranasal delivery form of carbetocin, a
synthetic analog of the naturally occurring peptide hormone, oxytocin. The deal
is scheduled to close by year-end.
As part of the transaction,
Srinivas Rao, M.D., Ph.D., Founder and President of Kyalin Biosciences, joins
Retrophin effective today as Executive Vice President, Head of Neuroscience
with responsibility for central nervous system (CNS) drug development.
"We are pleased to
announce the acquisition of Kyalin Biosciences and look forward to leveraging
Dr. Rao's extensive work and expertise, particularly in the area of autism, as
we seek to bring new treatment options to this catastrophic condition,"
said Martin Shkreli, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Retrophin.
"Kyalin's development of carbetocin for the treatment of autism and
related conditions is a seamless fit with our strategy, which was outlined in
this morning's announcement of our U.S. licensing agreement with Novartis for
intranasal Syntocinon, and our planned clinical trial program for potential use
of the drug as a treatment for schizophrenia and autism."
Dr. Rao has more than 13
years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, in both R&D and
senior management positions. Prior to Kyalin Biosciences, Dr. Rao spent
approximately 11 years at Cypress Bioscience, Inc., most recently as Chief
Scientific Officer, where he played key roles in both preclinical and clinical
drug development. In addition, he played an integral role in business
development at Cypress, with responsibility for all aspects of technical
diligence, as well as negotiation and financial modeling on a select number of
opportunities, including intranasal carbetocin for the treatment of autism.
Further, Dr. Rao was responsible for the development, prosecution, and
maintenance of Cypress' patent estate and was the inventor on more than 30
patents and patent applications filed at Cypress for a range of indications. He
is the parent of two sons with autism.
Dr. Rao earned an M.S. and
B.S. in electrical engineering, as well as an M.D. and Ph.D., from Yale
University. He completed an internship in Internal Medicine at Yale-New Haven
Hospital. His Ph.D. research focused on the neuropharmacology of working
memory. Dr. Rao has published 17 manuscripts with topics ranging from original,
basic science and clinical research to invited, topical reviews. He currently
serves as an advisor to the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative
(SFARI).
About Kyalin Biosciences
Kyalin Biosciences develops
therapies targeting the core symptoms of autism and related conditions. While
autism affects 1 in 88 children in the U.S. (CDC, 2013), there are no approved
therapies for the core social and repetitive behavior deficits associated with
autism. Kyalin's lead product is a highly optimized intranasal delivery form of
carbetocin, the latter a synthetic version of the natural occurring peptide hormone
oxytocin. This asset represents a potential breakthrough treatment for the core
deficits that characterize the autistic spectrum disorders. Intranasal
carbetocin leverages the natural biology of oxytocin, the 'trust hormone' shown
to promote affiliative behavior in hundreds of studies. For additional
information, please visit www.kyalinbio.com.
About Retrophin
Retrophin is a
pharmaceutical company focused on the development, acquisition and
commercialization of drugs for the treatment of serious, catastrophic or rare
diseases for which there are currently no viable options for patients. The
Company's pipeline includes compounds for several catastrophic diseases,
including Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), Pantothenate
Kinase-Associated Neurodegeneration (PKAN), Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and
others. Retrophin's lead compound, Sparsentan, formerly known as RE-021, is
scheduled to begin enrollment in a potentially pivotal Phase 2 clinical trial
for FSGS during 2013. The Company also intends to initiate clinical trials for
intranasal oxytocin as a potential treatment for schizophrenia and autism. For
additional information, please visit www.retrophin.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains
"forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, regarding the research, development
and commercialization of pharmaceutical products. Without limiting the
foregoing, these statements are often identified by the words "may",
"might", "believes", "thinks",
"anticipates", "plans", "expects",
"intends" or similar expressions. In addition, expressions of our
strategies, intentions or plans are also forward-looking statements. Such
forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and involve
inherent risks and uncertainties, including factors that could delay, divert or
change any of them, and could cause actual outcomes and results to differ
materially from current expectations. No forward-looking statement can be
guaranteed. Forward-looking statements in the press release should be evaluated
together with the many uncertainties that affect the Company's business. You
are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements
as there are important factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those in forward-looking statements, many of which are beyond
our control. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking
statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
Investors are referred to the full discussion of risks and uncertainties as
included in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
CONTACT: Retrophin, Inc.
Marc Panoff, CFO
646-564-3671
marc@retrophin.com
SOURCE: Retrophin, Inc.
Copyright Business Wire
2013
Vanessa Kachadurian Bioscience Fund of Connecticut
Vanessa Kachadurian Bioscience researches the states of America and how each are establishing funds for Bioscience industry. Is this a smart move? Vanessa Kachadurian thinks so for many reasons. 1) builds the economy and jobs 2) keeps technology in the USA 3) Encourages more Americans to get into research and development.
Rocky
Hill, Conn. (PRWEB) December 23, 2013
Connecticut Innovations
(CI), the state’s quasi-public authority responsible for helping businesses
grow through innovative financing and strategic assistance, today announced the
names of the appointees to the 13-member Bioscience Innovation Advisory
Committee, which will steer the direction of the $200 million Connecticut
Bioscience Innovation Fund (CBIF) and approve expenditures. CI executive vice
president and chief innovation officer Jeremy Crisp, Ph.D., a former Novartis
Institutes for BioMedical Research executive, was hired earlier this year to
lead the CBIF. The committee held its first official meeting on December 5.
In July, Governor Dannel
P. Malloy signed Public Act 13-239 into law to create the CBIF, establish an
Advisory Committee to oversee the fund's operations and require CI to
administer the fund under the committee's supervision. Under the statute, the
governor appointed four members to the committee while the president pro
tempore of the state senate, speaker of the house, and majority and minority
leader of both chambers appointed one member each. The commissioners of the
state’s Department of Economic and Community Development and Department of
Public Health or their designees serve as ex-officio voting members, and CI’s
chief executive officer and executive director will serve as committee
chairperson. Appointed members were selected based on their skill, knowledge
and experience in relevant businesses and sciences related to health care
delivery, medical devices, life sciences, insurance or information technology.
"We are delighted to
have attracted such high caliber individuals to the advisory committee,"
said Claire Leonardi, CEO of Connecticut Innovations. "Their collective
depth and breadth of experience across the bioscience spectrum will ensure
great stewardship of the fund."
The new board members are
Peter Farina, Ph.D., executive in residence, Canaan Partners; Steven Hanks,
M.D., vice president of medical affairs for Hartford HealthCare - Central
Region; Joseph Kaliko, J.D., chief executive officer of Gaming Innovations
International; Marc Lalande, Ph.D., Health Net Professor and chair of the
Department of Genetics and Developmental Biology, and executive director of
Genomics and Personalized Medicine Programs, UConn; William LaRochelle, Ph.D.,
head of healthcare and key opinion leader management, Roche 454 Sequencing
Solutions International; Charles Lee, Ph.D., scientific director, The Jackson
Laboratory for Genomic Medicine; Jewel Mullen, M.D., commissioner, Connecticut
Department of Public Health (ex-officio); Claire Leonardi, chief executive
officer of Connecticut Innovations (chair); Alan Mendelson, general partner,
Axiom Venture Partners; Edmund Pezalla, M.D., M.P.H., national medical director
for pharmaceutical policy, Aetna; Carolyn Slayman, Ph.D., Sterling Professor of
Genetics, professor of cellular and molecular physiology and deputy dean, Yale
School of Medicine; Catherine Smith, commissioner, Department of Economic and
Community Development (ex-officio); and Eleanor Tandler, founder and chief
executive officer, Novatract Surgical.
About Peter Farina, Ph.D.
Peter Farina, Ph.D., of North Salem, New York, is an executive in residence at Canaan Partners, a venture capital firm located in Westport, Conn., where he assesses and advises on pharma/biotech/healthcare investments. He is also the managing partner of a consulting firm, Salient Science & Technology LLC, which advises several U.S. and Chinese biotech firms on strategic and technical matters in pharmaceutical research and development. Farina serves as co-chair of Connecticut United for Research Excellence (CURE) board and a member of the advisory board of the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy, the NIH Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Network (BPN) steering committee, and the Emory University DRIVE Advisory Board. Additionally, he was a founder and chief executive officer of Developing World Cures, a nonprofit company working on neglected diseases.
Peter Farina, Ph.D., of North Salem, New York, is an executive in residence at Canaan Partners, a venture capital firm located in Westport, Conn., where he assesses and advises on pharma/biotech/healthcare investments. He is also the managing partner of a consulting firm, Salient Science & Technology LLC, which advises several U.S. and Chinese biotech firms on strategic and technical matters in pharmaceutical research and development. Farina serves as co-chair of Connecticut United for Research Excellence (CURE) board and a member of the advisory board of the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy, the NIH Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Network (BPN) steering committee, and the Emory University DRIVE Advisory Board. Additionally, he was a founder and chief executive officer of Developing World Cures, a nonprofit company working on neglected diseases.
About Steven Hanks, M.D.
Steven D. Hanks, M.D., M.M.M., F.A.C.P., F.F.S.M.B., of Farmington, Connecticut, is vice president of medical affairs for Hartford HealthCare’s central region. He is the former executive vice president and chief medical officer for The Hospital of Central Connecticut (THOCC). Hanks has been and will continue to serve as THOCC’s chief academic officer and remains the assistant dean for graduate medical education at the University of Connecticut. An internist and emergency physician, Hanks joined THOCC in 2004 from the Finger Lakes Regional Health System, where he served as senior vice president of medical affairs and chief medical officer. Prior to that he was chief medical officer of Adroit Research Solutions, a doctor's research organization that he co-founded, as well as chief medical officer of the Rochester Community Individual Practice Association, at the time one of the largest IPAs in the nation.
Steven D. Hanks, M.D., M.M.M., F.A.C.P., F.F.S.M.B., of Farmington, Connecticut, is vice president of medical affairs for Hartford HealthCare’s central region. He is the former executive vice president and chief medical officer for The Hospital of Central Connecticut (THOCC). Hanks has been and will continue to serve as THOCC’s chief academic officer and remains the assistant dean for graduate medical education at the University of Connecticut. An internist and emergency physician, Hanks joined THOCC in 2004 from the Finger Lakes Regional Health System, where he served as senior vice president of medical affairs and chief medical officer. Prior to that he was chief medical officer of Adroit Research Solutions, a doctor's research organization that he co-founded, as well as chief medical officer of the Rochester Community Individual Practice Association, at the time one of the largest IPAs in the nation.
About Joseph J. Kaliko
Joseph J. Kaliko of Greenwich, Connecticut, serves as president and chief executive officer of Gaming Innovations International LLC, which designs innovative gaming products and services for lotteries and their suppliers internationally. He is a member of the Connecticut and Ohio bars and is registered to practice as a patent attorney before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. As an inventor, Kaliko has been awarded patents that have been used to launch businesses in the U.S. and abroad.
Joseph J. Kaliko of Greenwich, Connecticut, serves as president and chief executive officer of Gaming Innovations International LLC, which designs innovative gaming products and services for lotteries and their suppliers internationally. He is a member of the Connecticut and Ohio bars and is registered to practice as a patent attorney before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. As an inventor, Kaliko has been awarded patents that have been used to launch businesses in the U.S. and abroad.
About Marc Lalande, Ph.D.
Marc Lalande, Ph.D., of West Hartford, Connecticut, is Health Net Professor and chair of the Department of Genetics and Developmental Biology and executive director of Genomics and Personalized Medicine Programs at the University of Connecticut. He received a Ph.D. in medical biophysics from the University of Toronto in 1981. His postdoctoral training was with Samuel A. Latt, M.D, Ph.D., in the Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School and Children's Hospital, Boston, Mass. From 1985 to 1988, he was assistant professor, Department of Pathology and Center for Human Genetics, McGill University, in Montreal, Quebec, before returning to Boston Children’s Hospital. He remained at Harvard Medical School until 1998, where he was an associate professor of pediatrics and an assistant investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
Marc Lalande, Ph.D., of West Hartford, Connecticut, is Health Net Professor and chair of the Department of Genetics and Developmental Biology and executive director of Genomics and Personalized Medicine Programs at the University of Connecticut. He received a Ph.D. in medical biophysics from the University of Toronto in 1981. His postdoctoral training was with Samuel A. Latt, M.D, Ph.D., in the Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School and Children's Hospital, Boston, Mass. From 1985 to 1988, he was assistant professor, Department of Pathology and Center for Human Genetics, McGill University, in Montreal, Quebec, before returning to Boston Children’s Hospital. He remained at Harvard Medical School until 1998, where he was an associate professor of pediatrics and an assistant investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
About William J.
LaRochelle, Ph.D.
William LaRochelle, Ph.D., of Madison, Connecticut, is currently a member of the Roche 454 Sequencing Solutions International Business Team and head of key opinion leader management. In addition, he is the Roche 454 global liaison to Genentech, Roche Pharma, Chugai
William LaRochelle, Ph.D., of Madison, Connecticut, is currently a member of the Roche 454 Sequencing Solutions International Business Team and head of key opinion leader management. In addition, he is the Roche 454 global liaison to Genentech, Roche Pharma, Chugai
Pharmaceutical Co. and
external key opinion leaders for Roche’s personalized healthcare strategy in
cancer genomic medicine. He has over 25 years of translational research and
drug development experience beginning with 13 years at the National Cancer
Institute, Bethesda, Md., and almost 13 years at CuraGen/454 Corporation,
Branford, Conn.
About Charles Lee, Ph.D.
Charles Lee, Ph.D., of Farmington, Connecticut, is the scientific director of The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine. Prior to joining the laboratory, Lee was director of the Molecular Genetic Research Unit at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School, and a board-certified clinical cytogeneticist. He received his doctoral degree from the University of Alberta, Canada; completed a research fellowship at Cambridge University, England; and conducted his clinical training at Harvard Medical School.
Charles Lee, Ph.D., of Farmington, Connecticut, is the scientific director of The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine. Prior to joining the laboratory, Lee was director of the Molecular Genetic Research Unit at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School, and a board-certified clinical cytogeneticist. He received his doctoral degree from the University of Alberta, Canada; completed a research fellowship at Cambridge University, England; and conducted his clinical training at Harvard Medical School.
About Commissioner Jewel
Mullen, M.D.
Jewel Mullen, M.D., of Middlefield, Connecticut, oversees the state’s leading public health agency as commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health. Appointed to this position by Governor Dannel Malloy in December 2010, Dr. Mullen has combined clinical work, research, teaching and administration throughout a career focused on improving the health of all people, especially the underserved.
Jewel Mullen, M.D., of Middlefield, Connecticut, oversees the state’s leading public health agency as commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health. Appointed to this position by Governor Dannel Malloy in December 2010, Dr. Mullen has combined clinical work, research, teaching and administration throughout a career focused on improving the health of all people, especially the underserved.
About Claire Leonardi
Claire Leonardi of Avon, Connecticut, is chief executive officer of Connecticut Innovations, where she manages the organization’s full array of business startup and growth initiatives, which include diverse lending programs, venture and equity investment funds, and programs to support innovation, entrepreneurship, collaboration and commercialization. Claire is a veteran investment and venture capital executive with more than 30 years of experience in the financial services industry. Leonardi will serve as committee chairperson.
Claire Leonardi of Avon, Connecticut, is chief executive officer of Connecticut Innovations, where she manages the organization’s full array of business startup and growth initiatives, which include diverse lending programs, venture and equity investment funds, and programs to support innovation, entrepreneurship, collaboration and commercialization. Claire is a veteran investment and venture capital executive with more than 30 years of experience in the financial services industry. Leonardi will serve as committee chairperson.
About Alan Mendelson
Alan Mendelson of West Hartford, Connecticut, is the founder and a general partner of Axiom Venture Partners. Prior to founding Axiom Venture Partners, Mendelson had a 24-year career in investments at Aetna Life & Casualty in Hartford, Conn., where he was involved in more than $3 billion of private placement debt financings with estimated combined losses of under $10 million. During his final six years with Aetna, he focused its venture investing on the medical/healthcare area, where he made a number of successful investments, including investments in GMIS, Geron, Human Genome Sciences and SyStemix. In several of these companies, he was a founding investor, and in the case of SyStemix, also its de facto chief executive officer. Overall, the $65 million portfolio of direct investments generated approximately $265 million of proceeds.
Alan Mendelson of West Hartford, Connecticut, is the founder and a general partner of Axiom Venture Partners. Prior to founding Axiom Venture Partners, Mendelson had a 24-year career in investments at Aetna Life & Casualty in Hartford, Conn., where he was involved in more than $3 billion of private placement debt financings with estimated combined losses of under $10 million. During his final six years with Aetna, he focused its venture investing on the medical/healthcare area, where he made a number of successful investments, including investments in GMIS, Geron, Human Genome Sciences and SyStemix. In several of these companies, he was a founding investor, and in the case of SyStemix, also its de facto chief executive officer. Overall, the $65 million portfolio of direct investments generated approximately $265 million of proceeds.
About Edmund Pezalla,
M.D.
Edmund Pezalla, M.D., M.P.H., of Wethersfield, Connecticut, is Aetna’s national medical director for pharmaceutical policy and strategy. He is responsible for the integration of pharmacy policy and activities into Aetna’s overall strategy and operations. He also serves as the lead clinical spokesperson for Aetna in pharmacy-related issues and represents Aetna on industry work groups and conferences. He is Aetna’s leading executive on pharmaceutical development, reimbursement strategy and drug evaluation. He is active on projects with the IOM, CDC and FDA as well as MIT’s Center for Biomedical Innovation. Recently, Pezalla served as a consultant for the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology for their report “Propelling Innovation in Drug Discovery, Development and Evaluation.”
Edmund Pezalla, M.D., M.P.H., of Wethersfield, Connecticut, is Aetna’s national medical director for pharmaceutical policy and strategy. He is responsible for the integration of pharmacy policy and activities into Aetna’s overall strategy and operations. He also serves as the lead clinical spokesperson for Aetna in pharmacy-related issues and represents Aetna on industry work groups and conferences. He is Aetna’s leading executive on pharmaceutical development, reimbursement strategy and drug evaluation. He is active on projects with the IOM, CDC and FDA as well as MIT’s Center for Biomedical Innovation. Recently, Pezalla served as a consultant for the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology for their report “Propelling Innovation in Drug Discovery, Development and Evaluation.”
About Carolyn Slayman,
Ph.D.
Carolyn Slayman, Ph.D., of Hamden, Connecticut, is the deputy dean of Yale School of Medicine (YSM), where she is also Sterling Professor of Genetics and a professor of cellular and molecular physiology and heads a laboratory focusing on the biogenesis and molecular mechanisms of membrane transport proteins. She chaired the medical school’s Department of Genetics for 11 years, and since then has served as deputy dean for academic and scientific affairs. In the latter role, she has broad oversight of YSM research, working with the heads of the school’s 29 departments and five interdepartmental centers to recruit faculty, launch new areas of investigation, and stimulate partnerships and collaborations. She also participates on behalf of YSM in the development of Yale’s new West Campus (purchased from the Bayer Pharmaceutical Company in 2007), where work is underway to form interdisciplinary institutes in areas including biodesign, cancer biology, chemical biology, microbial diversity, and systems biology.
Carolyn Slayman, Ph.D., of Hamden, Connecticut, is the deputy dean of Yale School of Medicine (YSM), where she is also Sterling Professor of Genetics and a professor of cellular and molecular physiology and heads a laboratory focusing on the biogenesis and molecular mechanisms of membrane transport proteins. She chaired the medical school’s Department of Genetics for 11 years, and since then has served as deputy dean for academic and scientific affairs. In the latter role, she has broad oversight of YSM research, working with the heads of the school’s 29 departments and five interdepartmental centers to recruit faculty, launch new areas of investigation, and stimulate partnerships and collaborations. She also participates on behalf of YSM in the development of Yale’s new West Campus (purchased from the Bayer Pharmaceutical Company in 2007), where work is underway to form interdisciplinary institutes in areas including biodesign, cancer biology, chemical biology, microbial diversity, and systems biology.
About Commissioner
Catherine Smith
Catherine Smith of Northford, Connecticut, is commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD), the lead state agency responsible for attracting and retaining businesses and jobs, revitalizing neighborhoods and communities, expanding affordable housing opportunities and fostering appropriate development in Connecticut’s towns and cities. Governor Dannel P. Malloy appointed her to the position in April 2011. Prior to joining DECD, Commissioner Smith had a distinguished career in the insurance and financial services industry, beginning with Aetna in 1983.
Catherine Smith of Northford, Connecticut, is commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD), the lead state agency responsible for attracting and retaining businesses and jobs, revitalizing neighborhoods and communities, expanding affordable housing opportunities and fostering appropriate development in Connecticut’s towns and cities. Governor Dannel P. Malloy appointed her to the position in April 2011. Prior to joining DECD, Commissioner Smith had a distinguished career in the insurance and financial services industry, beginning with Aetna in 1983.
About Eleanor L. Tandler
Eleanor L. Tandler of Guilford, Connecticut, is the founder and chief executive officer of NovaTract Surgical Inc. Prior to NovaTract, Tandler was the director of venture development at the University of Connecticut Research and Development Corporation (UConn R&D), where she worked to create new business startups based on innovative technologies developed by the faculty and staff at the university. During her tenure at UConn R&D, she served as interim chief executive officer of New Ortho Polymers, a UConn startup focused on the development of new orthodontic appliances based on utilizing high-performance polymers. Prior to that, she spent five years as a venture capital investor with Radius Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm focused on health and life sciences with approximately $230 million under management.
Eleanor L. Tandler of Guilford, Connecticut, is the founder and chief executive officer of NovaTract Surgical Inc. Prior to NovaTract, Tandler was the director of venture development at the University of Connecticut Research and Development Corporation (UConn R&D), where she worked to create new business startups based on innovative technologies developed by the faculty and staff at the university. During her tenure at UConn R&D, she served as interim chief executive officer of New Ortho Polymers, a UConn startup focused on the development of new orthodontic appliances based on utilizing high-performance polymers. Prior to that, she spent five years as a venture capital investor with Radius Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm focused on health and life sciences with approximately $230 million under management.
About Connecticut
Innovations Inc.
Connecticut Innovations (CI) is the leading source of financing and ongoing support for Connecticut's innovative, growing companies. To maximize the growth potential of each business, CI tailors its solutions and often combines its funds with resources from other financial leaders to provide venture capital and strategic support for early-stage technology companies; flexible loans for established companies with new innovations; grants that support innovation and collaboration; and connections to its well-established network of partners and professionals. Through all these initiatives, CI has helped bring $4 billion in financing to Connecticut companies. The state’s most active early-stage investor, CI has created more than 26,000 jobs. For more information on CI, please visit http://www.ctinnovations.com.
Connecticut Innovations (CI) is the leading source of financing and ongoing support for Connecticut's innovative, growing companies. To maximize the growth potential of each business, CI tailors its solutions and often combines its funds with resources from other financial leaders to provide venture capital and strategic support for early-stage technology companies; flexible loans for established companies with new innovations; grants that support innovation and collaboration; and connections to its well-established network of partners and professionals. Through all these initiatives, CI has helped bring $4 billion in financing to Connecticut companies. The state’s most active early-stage investor, CI has created more than 26,000 jobs. For more information on CI, please visit http://www.ctinnovations.com.
Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/12/prweb11446155.htm
Vanessa Kachadurian Bioscience, OTC Prevagen with Apoaequorin to prevent memory loss by Quincy Bioscience
Vanessa Kachadurian Bioscience Researches why CNS products are being produced in the USA. This product has a good outcomes profile, I have asked some thought leaders in the area of Neuroscience and we will see. With the alarming increase of ALZ, Dementia, etc., isn't it worth the time to look into all products? This is the study of protein and it's effects on the brain cells health
MADISON, WI--(Marketwired
- December 23, 2013) - Quincy Bioscience, best known as the creators of leading
memory supplement Prevagen®,
gives more resources and opportunities for consumers to learn tips for better
brain health this holiday season. The Wisconsin-based biotech company is
thrilled to present the takeoff of the new Prevagen Blog.
The Prevagen Blog is a
source for readers to find valuable articles that provide new ways for healthy
cognitive function and overall well-being. Each week, the writers at Quincy
Bioscience post a new article that provides insight on a specific aspect of
health to help individuals reach optimal aging success and life satisfaction.
Topics included, but not limited to, are superfoods, memory-making ideas, brain
fitness tips, and more.
At the end of each article post, there is a unique banner that
offers further information on a related topic of interest for free, such as
online brain games and memory screenings, for example. All blog posts are
archived and created to be readily accessible for readers.
Check out the Prevagen Blog now! Find it on the Prevagen website
at http://info.prevagen.com/blog.
About Quincy Bioscience
Quincy Bioscienceis a biotechnology company based in Madison, Wis. that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialization of novel technologies to support good health in aging. The company's products focus on supporting memory and cognitive health. Quincy Bioscience is set apart by its cutting-edge applications of the protein apoaequorin, which is breaking new ground in the area of brain health.
Quincy Bioscienceis a biotechnology company based in Madison, Wis. that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialization of novel technologies to support good health in aging. The company's products focus on supporting memory and cognitive health. Quincy Bioscience is set apart by its cutting-edge applications of the protein apoaequorin, which is breaking new ground in the area of brain health.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug
Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or
prevent any disease.
Prevagen (Pronounced: prev-uh-gen) is a new brain health supplement and functions unlike other brain or memory supplements.* The main ingredient is a new use for a well-known protein called “apoaequorin” which was originally found in a certain species of jellyfish.
Prevagen was tested in a large double-blind, placebo-controlled study using computers to assess brain performance. 218 adults over 40 years old participated in the three month study. Prevagen significantly improved learning and word recall.* Clinically tested and shown to improve mild memory problems that occur in aging.*
As we age, the body’s ability to naturally produce this protein slows down. When this happens you begin to lose about 30,000 brain cells every day, and may start to experience difficulty with memory, focus and concentration. Prevagen helps support brain cells by supplementing the proteins and supports healthier brain function.*
Nobel prize in chemistry
Apoaequorin (Pronounced: ā-poe-ē-kwôr-ĭn) was first discovered in 1962 in glowing jellyfish. Turns out these proteins caused the jellyfish to glow when the proteins bound to calcium ions. We’ve learned a lot about how calcium functions in the body by using apoaequorin. The Princeton professor who discovered this protein and his colleagues who helped develop the research won the Nobel prize in 2008. Prevagen does not cause any glowing!
Apoaequorin is a protein
It was originally found in jellyfish, nature’s most simple nervous system and is able to help in humans who have the most complex nervous system in all creation. Apoaequorin is classified as a protein. Proteins are needed for healthy brain function.
Apoaequorin supports healthier brain function.*
Vanessa Kachadurian, Bioscience spotlight on Semprus Bioscience preventing complications from medical device implants
Any medical device implanted in the body attracts bacteria, proteins, and other microbes to its surface, causing infections and thrombosis (blood clotting) that lead to hundreds of thousands of deaths annually. Devices can be coated with antibiotics, blood thinners, and other agents – but these eventually dissolve, limiting their longevity and effectiveness.
Now, Semprus BioSciences, a startup co-founded by two MIT alumni – Christopher Loose PhD ’07 and CEO David Lucchino MBA ’06 – is developing a novel biomaterial for implanted medical devices that permanently barricades these troublesome microbes from the device’s surface.
The biomaterial is a nonleaching polymeric sulfobetaine (polySB) that, when applied to a medical device, sprouts a thicket of polymers that attract water, creating an impenetrable barrier for microbes. Its chemical makeup also mimics that of cells important to homeostasis, potentially reducing the body’s natural rejection of implanted devices.
“Basically, we’ve developed a long-lasting solution that blocks negative consequences in the body by making devices look more like the human body,” Loose says.
The application of polySB to catheters yields a significant reduction in the buildup of protein, mammalian cells, and microbes on a device’s surface, compared with unmodified catheters. This has potential to reduce blood clots and infection, and improve overall patient health, the co-founders say.
The technology was described in a paper published last year in the journal Science Translation Medicine, co-authored by Loose, Lucchino, MIT Institute Professor Robert Langer, and other researchers.
Based on Loose’s work at MIT, the biomaterial has positioned Semprus as a fast-growing biotech firm in Kendall Square. In its six years, the startup – seed-funded, in part, by the MIT $100K Entrepreneurship Competition – has earned millions of dollars in private and federal funding. In 2012, Semprus sold to a medical device-manufacturing giant for an amount that could reach $80 million. As a wholly owned subsidiary, the Semprus team continues developing the technology.
Semprus’ first commercial product based on the biomaterial, Semprus Sustain technology, is designed specifically for venous catheters and recently earned clearance from the Food and Drug Administration as a medical device deemed safe and effective for commercial distribution in the United States. It also recently received designation as a product meeting European Union standards of health, safety, and environmental protection.
Addressing an ‘unmet need’
The Semprus story began in Langer’s lab, where Loose, a chemical engineering PhD student, was charged with developing medical devices that could permanently be inserted in the body without triggering an immune response – in other words, creating medical devices that “looked more human,” Loose says.
Loose developed a means of applying naturally occurring antibiotics, called antimicrobial peptides – found in bacteria and human sweat – on medical devices. These peptides would puncture bacteria that came near, and microbes would have trouble developing resistance to them. In 2007, Loose was named one of “35 innovators under 35” by MIT Technology Review for this innovation.
Seeing commercial potential, Langer – a chemical engineer, bioengineer, and famed MIT entrepreneur – “played matchmaker” between Loose and Lucchino, who had previously worked for Polaris Ventures Partners and was, at the time, an Alfred P. Sloan Fellow at the MIT Sloan School of Management.
The two had an instant rapport, Lucchino says – and an ambition to commercialize Loose’s innovation. So they “went to school” on the medical-device market, canvassing hospitals to meet patients and to talk with nurses and doctors about unmet clinical needs.
“We learned quickly that the most successful entrepreneurs are good listeners,” Lucchino says. “We conducted our own ‘listening tour’ to understand the problem, so we could develop the most strategic business and technology solution.”
They found many patients suffering from chronic diseases – such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease – and a lack of permanent “coatings” for medical implants that might help these patients. Thus, Loose says, they were ahead of the curve in addressing the “unmet need” of the medical devices market.
“We realized an unmet need that was going to grow over the next few years and we were one of the first to have a solution to it,” he says. “Everything starts with the unmet need.”
Today, the Semprus technology has proven its effectiveness. In the Science Translation Medicine paper, the co-founders exposed polySB-modified catheters to blood for 60 days. In vitro, the modified catheters – on both their external and internal surfaces – saw a 98% reduction in the accumulation of platelets and three types of white blood cells. Additionally, thrombotic material on the device was reduced by 99%. In vivo, the modified catheters showed a 99 percent reduction in thrombus accumulation, 50% less inflammation, and fewer bacteria.
‘A pathway’ for a startup
A catalyst for starting Semprus was winning MIT’s $100K (as SteriCoat) in 2006, and going on to win similar business-plan competitions at Harvard and Oxford universities.
“Once we had clear confirmation that there was an enormous unmet need, in terms of cost and patient impact, we had a clear business plan refined through the competitions, and even more so thereafter,” Loose says. “It gave us a pathway to say, ‘This is how we can solve a big problem and here’s the pathway to do it.’”
The two were also “very diligent in going to any networking and entrepreneur event at MIT. There is a tremendous [number] of MIT alumni, very open with their time, who provided critical support and advice,” Loose says.
Through MIT’s network of entrepreneurs, investors, and lawyers, “we were able to assemble a great team of advisers to refine our plans and give us the momentum to go out and do financing,” Lucchino says.
Under Lucchino’s stewardship, Semprus secured $28.5 million in venture capital financing and $2.4 million in federal funding, primarily from the National Science Foundation, and grew from two to 40 employees.
Lucchino says he owes some of his business acumen to his education at MIT Sloan, which taught him a broad set of entrepreneurial skills in finance, business, and operations strategies. “It was continuing to fertilize my entrepreneurial soil to get me in the best position to succeed,” Lucchino says.
Today, the two entrepreneurs continue to mentor students and give talks at MIT and Harvard Business School, sharing startup advice, or their “rules of the road” – such as knowing your technological and personal limitations, working with limited resources, being flexible to economic and other changes, and, most importantly, teamwork.
“No one person builds a company alone,” says Lucchino, who has served as guest lecturer at MIT Sloan. “As your company grows and there’s real value attached to what you’re doing, you need to be able to trust the people you’re working with. Chris and I, as a team, made Semprus a success. The most important skill and functionality we have is trust.”
Source: MIT News
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Vanessa Kachadurian Teaches Businesses To Sell | Segment News
Here is the accompanying article from Segment News, thank you my Journalist friends.
Most people have to sell something to someone at some point in their lives, and knows the task is sometimes daunting. But effective sales techniques are important for individuals and businesses to learn and incorporate. Everyone is in sales, no matter what their “profession” is.
Every once in a while, everyone is called on to sell something. People sell products, services, plans, ideas and beliefs. Sales is a positive thing, in and of itself. While many sales myths persist, most often people sell things of value—things that matter.
Vanessa Kachadurian built a career selling medical devices and supplies. The products she sold helped numerous people achieve relief from their ailments and receive better care from their health care providers.
Without sales, the economy and much of the way people understand the world simply would not exist. People sell themselves to get jobs, children sell ideas in school, researchers sell their knowledge and products are created. Sales is little more than effective communication, and Vanessa Kachadurian believes the following tips will help anyone learn to sell.
Ditch the Pitch. This vocabulary makes sales much harder. A pitch, in baseball terms, is something that is either avoided or swung at to bat it away. These are not ideal outcomes for a salesperson. Instead, think of the pitch as a recommendation. During the recommendation listen to the needs of the client and find a way to address those needs with the product. Vanessa Kachadurian argues that listening is more important than talking in these meetings because when a sales person knows their product well they have to hear what a client needs to know how to sell to them.
Honesty matters. Sales professionals must value honesty in their approach at all times. There is a difference between dishonesty and strategic positioning. When selling an idea or a product, outline the truth.
Knowledge is power. Effective sales people know as much as possible about the product, idea or service they are selling. It is a given that when making a sales pitch people are likely to ask questions that the seller does not know the answer to. Admitting this and promising to find an answer and following up is a great remedy to this situation. And follow-up shows dedication and commitment. Vanessa Kachadurian teaches people to present as much information as possible including potential drawbacks and how to address them.
Establish trust with clients. Trust comes from knowledge. During her career, Vanessa Kachadurian quickly established trust with clients by demonstrating expertise on the supplies she was selling. When clients trust the sales person, they believe that they can invest in the product or service and have little worry of future problems. They might also believe that if problems do arise, the company that sold the product will fix the issue.
Connect with clients. Connecting with clients during a sales meeting goes beyond establishing trust. Finding a personal connection between a client, the sales person and the product is essential for closing the deal. Vanessa Kachadurian regularly finds clients who have personal connections to the devices she is selling. By fostering a sense of relationship, she is able to show clients how a product will enhance their lives and businesses. Sales people who take an interest in their clients fare better when making their arguments because the client is comfortable with the seller.
Do not push. There is a difference between strong sales and aggression. Clients are likely to shut down if they feel they are forced into a corner. The decision to buy should come from the client, not the seller. The best sales people make their pitches and let the clients decide what to do next.
Vanessa Kachadurian Urges Businesses to Build Strong Sales Teams
Businesses need effective sales teams to grow. Even doctors, lawyers and other professional service providers have to sell to attract business. Particularly for small and new businesses, training a sales staff is one of the most important tasks leaders will conduct.
Training a sales staff requires in-depth knowledge. One of the biggest mistakes companies make is thinking that sales training is just an overview of the products and services offered, Vanessa Kachadurian notes. Training should take time and allow each member of the sales team to practice in situations similar to actual client meetings. Sales representatives should know where to find answers and have a working knowledge before they hold their first meetings.
The small business administration argues that sales forces should have expert knowledge in order to succeed. Because of technology, customers are more informed about products and competition than ever before, Ms. Kachadurian notes, it is important for sales people to have even more knowledge and skill.
All training of sales teams should include an awareness of any competition. When questions arise about competing products and services, a good sales person should have the ability to address the merits of the competition and position his or her product more favorably.
Without a strong sales force it is nearly impossible for businesses to grow. One-time training is also not enough to ensure continued growth and increased revenues. Sales teams should meet regularly to discuss successful methods and questions they receive. They should also stay abreast of industry developments and competition advancements.
Vanessa Kachadurian understands that for many businesses these measures are costly, but encourages owners to make the investment for the long-term health of their companies.
ABOUT:
Vanessa Kachadurian is a medical professional who built a successful career in sales. She is a driven individual who found success by building relationships and knowing the products she was tasked with selling. By becoming an expert with a highly specialized working knowledge of medical supplies and devices, she successfully raised revenues for the companies she worked for. She earned her bachelor’s degree from National University and graduated cum laude. In 2000 her career began with a position at Cardinal Health and her strong business acumen has propelled her forward ever since. She is of Armenian descent and enjoys promoting her culture through philanthropic activities.
Vanessa Kachadurian Teaches
Businesses the Art of Selling by Jon Dye
- See more at: http://segment.com/vanessa-kachadurian-art-of-selling/#sthash.WpK5GdSC.dpuf
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