Rose C. Perri is the Chief Executive Officer of EastGate Biotech Corp, a pharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing innovative drug formulations and drug delivery technologies. With over 20 years of experience in managing and overseeing operations for both private and public companies, Rose has a proven track record of success in the biotech sector. She co-founded Biomin Therapeutics Corporation, a publicly-traded R&D biotech company, and served as a co-founder and executive at Generex Biotechnology Corporation for 16 years. Her extensive network within the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, regulatory, and financial industries makes her well-positioned to attract and manage potential partnerships and alliances for EastGate Biotech Corp. In addition to her involvement in the biotech sector, Rose has also managed a family-owned property investment and management company. As CEO of EastGate Biotech Corp, Rose is committed to leveraging her experience and expertise to drive the company’s growth and deliver innovative solutions to patients in need.
Turning Experiences into Solutions
Rose’s inspiration to step into the biotech industry came from a personal desire to explore new treatments and potential solutions for chronic diseases affecting her family members and others. She was introduced to the industry by her late brother, who was involved in early-stage biotech financing and founded several biotech start-up companies himself. Her brother’s motivation was his own illness and their family members’ experiences with chronic diseases.
The biotech industry became a way for them to explore possible new treatments that could not only help themselves but also others facing similar health challenges. Rose’s positions in the biotech industry allowed her to expand her network within the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, regulatory, and financial industries. Her experience and expertise have made her well-positioned to attract and manage potential partnerships and alliances.
Creating an Impact on Existing Treatment Paradigms
EastGate Biotech Corp. was established in mid-2012. The unique services/solutions offered by the company involve altering the delivery pathways for well-known drugs, currently administered only by injections, to non-invasive (oral or sublingual) routes. The company’s technology focuses on a proprietary composition Insugin, which is a liquid insulin mouth rinse solution that targets patients with Type 2 diabetes as well as patients with pre-diabetes. The solution aims to have an impact on existing treatment paradigms that will influence healthier lifestyles despite facing chronic illnesses.
Looking at Challenges as Opportunities
According to Rose, one of the major challenges faced by biotech companies is the doubt from the outside world regarding their ability to succeed. This doubt is particularly high for small biotech companies like EastGate, which are involved in the innovative discovery. The success rate of biotech companies is also quite low, which adds to the challenge.
The primary focus of EastGate Biotech is to create innovative solutions for diabetes treatment that are easy to use, effective, and improve patient compliance. For instance, the company’s liquid insulin mouth solution encourages diabetic patients who are resistant to injections to take the insulin. In addition, to ensure optimum customer satisfaction, Rose and her team prioritize gathering feedback from patients and healthcare providers to understand their needs and preferences. This could involve conducting market research, clinical trials, and engaging with patients and providers through surveys, focus groups, and other channels. Once feedback is collected, the team works to incorporate this information into the development and design of their products, ensuring they meet the needs and preferences of their target audience.
Additionally, the team prioritizes ongoing support for patients, providing educational resources and assistance in navigating their treatment options. Rose’s approach to ensuring customer satisfaction involves a focus on understanding the needs of patients and healthcare providers and using this information to develop and deliver innovative solutions that improve treatment outcomes and patient quality of life.
Evolution of CEOs from Rose’s Perception
Rose believes that the role of a CEO has evolved over the years, especially with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Work environments have shifted from traditional office settings to virtual and remote workspaces. Moreover, companies have increasingly outsourced some roles abroad, leading to more arms-length management. As a result, the CEO’s focus has shifted to motivating employees, whether through their management teams or directly. Communication and engagement with employees are key to building enthusiasm and driving success. According to Rose, the CEO should make everyone feel that their role contributes to the success of the company as a whole and that they are part of something important.
To start a revolution as a CEO, Rose suggests engaging and driving the enthusiasm of employees who believe in the company’s vision and products. She notes that employees may feel like a small cog in the organization, but it is the CEO’s responsibility to make them feel valued and essential to the success of the company. She also stresses the importance of communication, motivating employees, and making everyone feel that they are part of something important that contributes to the success of the company. By doing so, the CEO can inspire and motivate employees to work towards a common goal and achieve success.
A Committed Team Driving Success of EastGate
Rose emphasizes the importance of having committed team members who are familiar with their tasks, expected outcomes, and remuneration. She believes that team members who are interested in the company’s mission will naturally want to see it succeed and progress in the right direction. Rose also acknowledges that the company’s success is important to everyone and that people want to back a winner and be proud of its success.
Regarding team motivation, Rose mentions that her core team has known and worked with each other for over 20 years, creating a family-like atmosphere. In addition, she fosters a sense of purpose and teamwork among her team and provides clear guidance and resources to ensure that everyone is working toward the company’s goals efficiently and effectively.
Envisioning Leadership in Diabetes Treatment Space
EastGate’s future plans and strategies include expanding its partnerships in different markets and exploring different regulatory pathways for fast-track approvals of its liquid insulin mouth rinse solution, Insugin. The company also plans to analyze potential markets and consider creating local manufacturing hubs to reduce costs and provide affordable solutions to patients. In addition, EastGate will continue to focus on making diabetes treatment easy and effective while ensuring patient satisfaction and compliance. EastGate’s primary goal is to become a leader in diabetes treatment and provide innovative solutions to patients worldwide.
Life outside the Office
Rose’s life outside the office is filled with a variety of cultural interests. She enjoys attending theater performances, visiting art exhibits and galleries of different genres, exploring different types of food from various cultures, and frequenting jazz clubs. Her hobbies and interests are centered on learning and experiencing diverse cultural perspectives, which in turn inspire her work and business decisions. Living in a diverse and multicultural city like Toronto provides her with ample opportunities to engage in these activities and broaden her cultural horizons.
A Piece of Advice for Aspirants
Rose’s advice for aspirants who want to make a name in their respective industries is to focus and not give up, even if their development does not make it through the early stages. She advises them to find alternatives that may work better or may participate in working out the “kinks” of the original development. She emphasizes the importance of understanding the patient experience and how their drug or development can improve their health and ultimately their lives.
She suggests that aspiring entrepreneurs need to understand why they are pursuing this path and be ready to put in the time to learn, which will attract other people in their circle who can move their mission forward. Additionally, she suggests that they expect to spend thousands of hours working at their business, understanding their business, and persevering through the tough times.
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