MADE IN OCEANSIDE Sparsha Pharma USA, Inc. A Small Business with a Big Mission For Dr. Dange Veerapaneni and his business partner Nori Kuzumaki, it’s no pain, no gain to maintain a profitable business. “Our quality control and quality assurance team monitors production and the United States Food and Drug Administration’s regulatory compliance to ensure that our finished product meets our strict standards,” Veerapaneni says. That process can be painful, taking years, but it is all worth it for Sparsha Pharma USA. Veerapaneni, the company’s founder and CEO, and Kuzumaki, Chief Technology Officer, launched Sparsha Pharma USA, Inc. in 2014 in Oceanside. The new Oceanside Chamber of Commerce members join a growing biotech industry atop the Oceanic Drive business park. Sparsha is a privately held research and manufacturing company focused on developing Transdermal Drug Delivery systems. The pharmaceutical company specializes in transdermal/ topical film products. In other words, Sparsha’s mission is to relieve pain. Sparsha produces the Lidocaine 4% Patch for overthe-counter pain relief and supplies the patch for other brands such as Theracare, Asperflex, etc. in the United States. The patches can also be customized for pharmacy retailers’ needs such as for Walgreens. “Our mission is to develop clinically effective, innovative and affordable transdermal therapeutic products to improve the patient’s quality of life,” Veerapaneni says.
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The unassuming headquarters reveals an indoor, state-of-the-art facility with capabilities for formulation, mixing, coating, slitting, cutting/ packaging, and serialization. Sparsha has the capability to take products from formulation development to commercial production. “Our manufacturing team works to ensure quality and excellence, from formulating the active pharmaceutical ingredients to packaging the final product,” Kuzumaki says. Sparsha’s objective is to manufacture products that meet the highest standard of quality, and they are dedicated to achieving this by monitoring quality at every step along the way, including full compliance with all regulatory requirements. The facility is divided into Research & Development and Manufacturing divisions. The most well-known and successful product that Sparsha Pharma USA has developed so far are transdermal patches that improve the absorption of medication through the skin. One of the patches is the Niravi™ Lidocaine Transdermal Patch. Niravi, which means, ‘pain removal’ in Sanskrit, are over-the-counter Lidocaine patches that are made right here in Oceanside. They provide maximum strength Lidocaine as a topical anesthetic wherever they are placed on the body with minimal medication, Veerapaneni says. The patches that Sparsha Pharma make can desensitize aggravated nerves and relieves pain for 1, 3 or even 7 days. The products can be used by anyone age 12 and older but are especially effective for those who may not be able to administer medication independently such as in nursing home facilities and for caregivers for the elderly.
Spring 2022 | www.oceansidechamber.com