Business View Magazine | Volume 8, Issue 11

203 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 8, ISSUE 11 NUFABRX The drug delivery system employed by Nufabrx works in a similar way to a transdermal patch. The item of clothing enables the delivery of a certain number of milligrams for every hour that an individual is wearing that particular garment. However, despite using analogous technology to that already on the market, there were still challenges to gaining regulatory approval for Nufabrx’s products. “There is no category for drug-infused garments,” Schindler notes. “So, regulatory approval all depends on what claims you’re making as a company and what active ingredients you’re putting in your garments. For example, a drug is going to be regulated very differently from a cosmetic product, like shea butter. But because we’re able to deliver the same dosage as any other topical analgesic, that’s the regulatory monograph we fall under.” Once regulatory approval had been achieved, it wasn’t long before Nufabrx was gaining the attention of retailers in the U.S. Schindler relates, “We traveled down to Bentonville, Arkansas to speak with a buyer at Walmart and he immediately saw the huge correlation between people buying protective sleeves and individuals purchasing creams for joint pain. To him, putting the two things together just made sense. Today, we’re now present in 4,200 Walmart stores nationwide. We’ve also launched at CVS and Walgreens.” Despite its country-wide appeal, Nufabrx is proud of its small-town roots. The company is based out of Charlotte, North Carolina, with its R&D taking place elsewhere in the state in the city of Conover. “While many companies choose to outsource their production, everything we do is made in the U.S.,” Schindler states. “We have 35 full-time employees, and then we have partners that do a lot of manufacturing on the garment side.” Those employees are a diverse mix of drug delivery scientists and garment industry veterans. Schindler believes that his company