Industry Insider: An Inside Look at Derma Sciences

For this month’s feature, Today’s Wound Clinic spoke with Ed Quilty, CEO. Today’s Wound Clinic (TWC): How long have you been in wound care, and how did you enter this area of healthcare? Ed Quilty (EQ): I have been involved in wound care since 1992. I was CEO of MedChem Products, a public company on the New York Stock Exchange that was acquired by C.R. Bard at the end of 1995. I joined the board of Derma Sciences in 1996 and became full-time CEO in June 2000. TWC: What’s your day-to-day role? EQ: As chairman and CEO of Derma, I am responsible for all aspects of our business. We have grown tremendously over the last 12 years. Today, we focus on three segments of the wound care business: pharmaceutical development, advance wound care (AWC), and traditional wound care. TWC: What do you find most rewarding about providing for your industry? EQ: The biggest reward is hearing the stories from patients and caregivers about how our products have improved and, in some cases, even saved the lives of patients with chronic, nonhealing wounds. TWC: How would you describe the overall mission of your company? EQ: We are a company whose mission is to develop and deliver solutions for AWC management. TWC: What’s new with your company in 2013? EQ: The biggest news this year is the commencement of both our pivotal phase III studies on DSC127 (a first-line treatment for the healing of diabetic foot ulcers that, if unresolved, could lead to amputation with a mortality rate of 45% within five years) as well as the safety/chronic use study. More than 85 clinical sites will treat almost 1,300 patients to complete these studies. It is also the first full year in which we will have our expanded AWC sales force in place. This will allow us to continue to meet our commitment to grow this business 30-40% in top line sales. Lastly, we have several new exciting private label manufacturing contracts, including our first Medihoney® dressings for the over-the-counter market. The result will be better cash flow from the combined AWC and traditional wound care business. TWC: How is your company unique? EQ: What makes us unique, especially for our size, is our ability to develop and introduce leading brands in AWC, manufacture millions of dressings and bandages under private label manufacturing contracts for other customers in traditional wound care, and run a drug-development business. There are many small companies doing one of the three, but I can’t think of another doing all three and being successful at all of them. TWC: Why are you passionate about the work of your company? EQ: When I started with Derma, we were a handful of people with one product line. Today, we have some of the most experienced and talented people in wound care working on our drug-development team. The talent in our sales organization is outstanding, as the results certainly support. I also have been fortunate to be part of building a management team and a team of employees who I believe are doing the best work in the wound care space. Also, I am proud of providing products that are helping improve the lives of patients. TWC: How is your company approaching challenges in wound care? EQ: Head-on, in everything we do. We’re developing new technology in drugs, dressings, and devices and establishing our brands as “leaders.” We are also providing cost-effective commodity products to our traditional wound care customers. TWC: What are your most popular products and/or services? EQ: Our most popular products at the moment are our Medihoney product line and our TCC-EZ® Cast. They are the key drivers of our AWC growth. Certainly, our most anticipated product is DSC127. There are many people in wound care hopeful that we can produce the results in phase III that we did in phase II and deliver this important drug to patients. TWC: How do you ensure proper training on products and services? EQ: We have a team of nurse clinicians supporting our field sales force and our customers. In addition, the field sales force receives ongoing training across wound care in order to be effective in speaking with our customers not only about our products but how those products fit into the treatment plan for their patients. TWC: What are the future goals for you and your company? EQ: Our goal is to become the leading company providing solutions for AWC management. If you don’t strive to be the best at what you are doing, you probably never will be.