Charles B. Hensley
| Charles B. Hensley | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
Charles Benjamin Hensley October 12, 1953 MacAlester, Oklahoma, US |
| Residence | Los Angeles |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | University of Southern California (PhD, 1988) |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur and venture capitalist |
Charles B. Hensley is an American entrepreneur who controls a diverse set of corporate entities involved in pharmaceuticals, consumer products distribution, cosmetics, and entertainment. Hensley is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma and has a Ph.D. from the University of Southern California in Physiology and Biophysics. In the mid-1990s, Hensley invented Zicam cold remedy and created his first corporate venture in order to market and sell the product. Zicam went on to become one of the most highly successful over-the-counter products and brands in the decades that followed.[1]
Business ventures
Pharmaceuticals
Zicam, LLC.
In 1997, Hensley and his business partners formed BioDelivery Technologies in order to develop and market new pharmaceutical delivery systems. While at BioDelivery Technologies, Hensley invented Zicam cold remedy, one of the most successful OTC remedies for the common cold on the market. As a means to fast track Zicam to the marketplace, Hensley co-founded Gel Tech, LLC. (now Zicam, LLC.),[2] a joint venture between BioDelivery Technologies, Inc., and Gum Tech International (now Matrixx Initiatives, Inc.).[3] Zicam continues to be one one of the most successful brands with annual revenues exceeding $150,000,000.
PRB Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
In 2001, Hensley formed PRB Pharmaceuticals, Inc. to develop anti-viral cocktails aimed at emerging viral disease.
Nasal Therapeutics, Inc.
In 2007, Hensley founded Nasal Therapeutics, Inc. to develop and market homeopathic nasal spray technologies and products. That same year, Nasal Therapeutics, Inc. entered into a licensing agreement with Therabiogen, Inc. (TRAB.OB), which allowed them the exclusive right to manufacture, market and sell the nasal therapeutic homeopathic nasal sprays, THERAMAX Cold and Flu Relief and THERAMAX Allergy Relief.
itonis holdings – itonis pharmaceutical
In 2012, Hensley created Itonis Pharmaceutical, to market over-the-counter and prescription homeopathic preparations to treat both common ailments in chronic diseases. [4]
Cosmetics
In 2004, Hensley partnered with a Hong Kong group and formed the Hong Kong–based cosmetic company Jovell, Inc. The company has over thirty products on the market, and has retail boutique shops and cosmetic counters in major department stores throughout Hong Kong and other parts of Asia.
Venture Capital and Business Incubation
The Next Big Thing Factory
In 2013, Hensley formed "The Next Big Thing Factory", a venture capital fund and business incubator for the development of entrepreneurial creations. The company's slogan is "create, develop, sell." Hensley has described the factory as an "entrepreneurial haven where out-of-the-box ideas are generated, molded, turned inside/out, evolved and then either tossed on the reject woodpile or taken to the next level towards reality."
Entertainment
2008 saw a new corporate direction for Hensley. Seeing the leveling of the playing field across various areas of the entertainment industry and the enormous potential for cross monetization with his other corporate entities, he formed a diversified media group and entered the arenas of music, television and film.
In 2013, Hensley formed an alliance with director-producer Arthur Allan Seidelman for both film and theatre. Their first joint project is the feature BETWEEN HEAVEN AND HELL with screenplay by award winning writer Richard Alfieri.
Other Activities
In 2013, Hensley founded the Youth Entrepreneurial Program located at The Bradley Milken Family Source Center in South Central Los Angeles. The program provides "at risk" youths the opportunity to acquire direction and motivation by providing them with exposure, mentorship and the development of skill sets, all of which could lead to a career as a business entrepreneur. Activities include seminars featuring special guests from the entrepreneurial community, workshops and one on one business mentoring.
Controversy
During the Taiwan SARS epidemic of 2003, the government of Taiwan requested PRB Pharmaceuticals to assist in the SARS crisis by providing antiviral technologies to front line health care professionals. He and his company worked at the epicenter of SARS in Taipei for the duration of the SARS epidemic before moving the company's operations to Hong Kong. During this time, the company produced the anti-viral medicine Vira 38. In 2005, PRB Pharmaceuticals was sanctioned by the United States government for activities related to Vira 38 and five years later, Hensley was indicted by a federal grand jury in Los Angeles on 12 counts related to the marketing and sale of Vira 38.[5] Eventually, as part of a plea agreement, all charges were dismissed except one misdemeanor. Hensley received probation and a fine.[6]
References
- ↑ , Researchers Strike Gold With Zinc Cold Remedy.
- ↑ http://www.zicam.com/
- ↑ http://www.matrixxinc.com/
- ↑ http://itonisholdings.com/itonis-pharmaceuticals/
- ↑ Pfeifer, Stuart (June 2, 2011). "Zicam inventor arrested, accused of illegal marketing of flu drug". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
- ↑ "Inventor Of Zicam Gets 3 Years Probation For Unapproved Bird Flu Remedy". http://losangeles.cbslocal.com. CBS Local Media. April 26, 2012. Retrieved August 30, 2013.