Leading health innovations. Impacting the world.
Sapphire Pharma Inc. is a global pharmaceutical company dedicated to developing and providing access to therapies for patients with infectious diseases, autoimmune conditions and women’s health issues.
Improve access and affordability to essential medicines
Malaria
Lupus
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Therapeutic Areas
Malaria
Human malaria is caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Plasmodium, including five species: P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale, P. malariae, and the emerging P. knowlesi. Most malaria deaths are due to P. falciparum. Infection occurs mainly through the bite of a female Anopheles mosquito. In 2023, there were an estimated 263 million cases and 597,000 deaths globally, with the African Region accounting for 94% of cases and 95% of deaths. The global incidence rate was 60.4 cases per 1,000 people at risk.
Lupus
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disorder marked by flare-ups and remission and can cause damage to organs such as the kidneys, nervous system, joints, and skin. It is estimated that about 90% of individuals with SLE are women. SLE is more common in African American women compared to Caucasians, and it is also found to be more common in Hispanics and Asians. Around 20% of patients may develop discoid lupus erythematosus, which causes lesions on the face, ears, and scalp.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by inflammatory arthritis that predominantly affects the joints. Although all joints can be impacted, preferably the joints of hands, feet and knees are affected by RA. Without proper treatment, RA leads to irreversible damage to the joint structures and is frequently associated with damage to multiple organs. Studies have shown that women are two to three times more likely to develop RA than men.
Our Team
Leadership
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Ramu Veerappan is a passionate and visionary entrepreneur with over two decades of consulting experience in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and medical devices. He served earlier as President of Mtech Consulting Group, working with clients like Sanofi, Pfizer, and Merck, and also the Founder & Principal of Tydings Capital LLC, a venture capital firm investing in technology, healthcare, and financial services.
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Luis F. Restrepo is a seasoned entrepreneur and finance expert with over 30 years of experience across consumer goods, securities trading, investment banking, and technology. He co-founded and managed four startups, including a pharmaceutical firm and a quasi-medical devices company, and led market expansions for major firms like Procter & Gamble and Religare Capital Markets
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Jasmeet is a seasoned healthcare executive with over 15 years of leadership experience in biotech and pharma. She has been an integral leader in launching transformative therapeutics in oncology, hematology, melanoma and rare diseases at companies such as Bayer, Amgen, Pfizer and Bristol Myers Squibb. She is an advocate for health equity, improving patient outcomes and access in healthcare. Jasmeet also advises early stage healthcare startups and champions women’s health initiatives.
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Rob Poorvin is a clinical trials expert with 35 years of experience, contributing to nearly 100 global drug, device, and vaccine submissions. He has worked at Merck, Medidata, Sanofi, ClinPro (formerly DZS), as well as startups and hospitals. Passionate about innovation, Rob pioneers technologies like FHIR to streamline EHR-to-EDC pipelines, improving patient outcomes.
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Prakash has nearly three decades of experience in entrepreneurship development and training, creating skill programs for aspiring entrepreneurs and mentoring small business owners across diverse sectors like retail, logistics, and healthcare. He has held significant roles in India’s premier Science Park and a university’s Entrepreneurship Development Cell.
Advisory Board
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A nationally renowned rheumatologist, Dr. Carter previously worked as a Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Division of Rheumatology at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine. Starting in 2001, he quickly rose through the ranks to become the Chief of Rheumatology in 2007 and full professor in 2014. He recently left USF to open his private practice. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters and abstracts. He has vast clinical experience with hydroxychloroquine and many of his publications detail the safety and tremendous efficacy of this medication.
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For over 16 years, Dipan led the Experiential Education Department at Touro College of Pharmacy in New York where he established affiliations with major institutions serving diverse patient populations. He worked on global public health and academic development projects with national and international colleagues, some of which were published as abstracts and peer-reviewed journal articles. With over thirty years of experience in community pharmacy practice, Dipan has been able to share his learnings with students on effective communication with culturally diverse patient populations
Building together for future success.
We focus on creating innovative solutions that maximize impact for patients, particularly in terms of access and affordability. By building strong partnerships with leading experts and taking a forward-looking approach to collaboration, we aim to drive the progress of our pipeline both now and in the future.