A year after launching Prosoria Nuvothera, a topical treatment for psoriasis, Fort Worth biotech entrepreneur Art Clapp is busy "gathering more social proof, proving our product is working for everyone," against a backdrop of skepticism among patients about the effectiveness of treatments.
Social proof includes encouraging testimonials and product reviews. "We're getting tremendous response from the community that the product is working well," Clapp says. "People are sending us pictures of themselves with testimonials."
Psoriasis sufferers have long complained about the sustained effectiveness of other treatments they've used, and even safety, he notes. "Data shows that almost 90 percent of people are dissatisfied with the products that are out there," Clapp, an ex-Galderma executive, says. "You can ask people with psoriasis what's been effective for you, and they'll say nothing. We knew we could make a product that's extremely safe."
Clapp's Nuvothera, whose offices are based in the TechFW incubator, sells the over-the-counter Prosoria on its website and at Amazon. "Probably a year, year and a half, we'll start looking to get distribution at a drugstore," Clapp says. "And after that, start to look at international."
A 30-day supply of Prosoria is for sale at Amazon for $75.95. Prosoria is meant to be a daily maintenance medication, with a three-step kit that includes a conditioner; treatment gel that penetrates and relieves redness, scaling, flaking, itching and irritation; and conditioner. The chronic nature of psoriasis-related inflammation makes treatment difficult. "That's why it takes so long to get under control," Clapp says. "The inflammation has been going on for a while." But once under control, users can take a lower maintenance dose, he says.
Clapp is now readying the launch of his second product - Nuvothera Super-Micronized Turmeric Curcumin - a dietary supplement and pain reliever based on the anti-inflammatory qualities of turmeric, a spice. Nuvothera super-micronizes turmeric root into small particles to make it more easily absorbed into the body. Curcumin is an active ingredient in turmeric, which also is a component of Prosoria.
The OTC capsules will be available for sale on Nuvothera's site beginning in March, and at Amazon. "It's a really potent product and highly safe," Clapp says.