The business, PerioC Ltd, hopes to use a compound to treat gum disease. The firm has clinical trials set-up with 30 people this year – and Trudi is optimistic that they could bring the drug to market within the next three years.
Her biggest push toward entrepreneurship came from business school. Trudi spent more than a decade at Novartis – a big pharma company which just announced a multi-billion dollar reshaping of its portfolio of businesses in a deal with the UK’s GlaxoSmithKline – including a stint as head of global research operations. It was a big role – but ultimately proved too demanding; Trudi was busy trying to raise a family.
After dropping her corporate career in April this year, Trudi and four co-founders/managers pooled £500,000 in personal funding into the business.
If her start-up can become anywhere near as successful as Novartis, Trudi’s risk will surely pay dividends. But it will prove to be her biggest health check yet.
What is the company’s size?
It’s a virtual company, so we one guy in the UK, two here in Switzerland and one just north of here in Germany, and another in Sweden. So About five, soon to be six, involved.
Which sector does it operate in?
Healthcare/pharmaceuticals.
What does the business do and what are their core/flagship products?
We have a compound, which I shan’t name, which is already on the market for a different treatment of use for the past 30 years. We’re developing it for the use of periodontitis (a gum disease).
Today’s treatments include a dentist scraping the area free of plaque and getting rid of the bacteria. But a lot of very severe, large pockets do not naturally heal and you will lose the tooth eventually.
We have a compound which should stop the underlying inflammation. We want to treat the inflammation and allow the pocket to close up.
Who is the CEO/ founder?
I am the CEO. It’s very hands-on and gives me insight into all aspects including long-term – the next development steps, where to best find that investment. There are different opportunities and I got the role of looking long-term and short-term.
Everyone else is a specialist and I’m more of the generalist.
How was the company founded?
A colleague of mine left his company and was starting it up, and asked me to join him. I said I could do your business plan for you as my [business school] thesis and if you like it, once I finish the MBA, let’s talk. He offered me the opportunity to take on the whole thing.
Two people founded the company and they registered it in the UK, and with my business plan they could gain additional investments. I joined a couple of months ago and set-up a number of consultant companies.
What’s the next step for the business?
The one thing that is likely to put a hold on things would be if the formulation we’ve developed doesn’t allow us to sufficiently bring the dose to the inflamed skin, which allows the inflammation to be reduced.
We’re in positive territory at this point. We’ve had one discussion with a health authority in Europe already and they are very excited. For us, hoping it works, then we stand a good chance of getting this on the market in the next three years.
To read more about Trudi’s business, click here.
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