Charles B. Hensley

Charles B. Hensley
2013
Born	(1953-10-12) October 12, 1953 (age 68) McAlester, Oklahoma, US
Nationality	American
Alma mater	University of Southern California (PhD, 1988)
Occupation	Entrepreneur - Venture Capitalist

Charles B. Hensley is an American businessman, entrepreneur, author and venture capitalist. He is chairman of The Hensley Group, a collection of corporate entities in the pharmaceutical, technology, and entertainment sectors.^[1] He is also founder of the venture capital firm, Silicon Beach Capital

He is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma and received his Ph.D. from the University of Southern California in physiology and biophysics. Hensley completed his post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Southern California School of Medicine, where he specialized in the regulation of gene expression, molecular cardiology and drug development.

In the mid 1990s Hensley invented and developed Zicam cold remedy and its underlying nasal delivery system. Hensley then created his first corporate venture in order to market and sell the product and Zicam went on to become a successful over-the-counter product and an iconic brand in the decades that followed.^[2]

Business ventures[]

Pharmaceuticals[]

In 1997, Hensley invented and developed Zicam cold remedy, one of the most successful OTC remedies for the common cold on the market. Hensley also invented and developed the underlying nasal delivery system used in the Zicam products. As a means to fast track Zicam to the marketplace, Hensley and his partners co-founded Gel Tech, LLC. (now Zicam, LLC.),^[3] with Gum Tech International (now Matrixx Initiatives, Inc.).^[4]

In 2001, Hensley developed The Hensley Algorithm (drug development protocol) and formed PRB Pharmaceuticals, Inc. to develop Antiviral drugs aimed at emerging viral disease.

Upon his return to California in 2005, PRB Pharmaceuticals acquired NeoDiagnostics, Inc. and Hensley refined the technology that emerged from his "Taiwan and Hong Kong days" which ultimately led to the development of a suite of broad spectrum anti-viral products. In 2006, Hensley licensed the anti-viral products to Pacific BioPharmaceuticals, which as part of the licensing deal, merged with Abattis Biologix Corporation making Hensley a major shareholder.^[5]

In 2007, Hensley founded Nasal Therapeutics, Inc. to develop and market nasal spray technologies and products. That same year, Nasal Therapeutics, Inc. entered into a licensing agreement with Therabiogen, Inc., which allowed them the exclusive right to manufacture, market and sell two nasal therapeutic nasal sprays, Theramax Cold and Flu Relief and Theramax Allergy Relief. As a result of the deal, Hensley became Therabiogen's largest shareholder.^[6]

In 2011, after a six-year investigation into PRB Pharmaceuticals' CHINA/US relationships, The company was charged with federal violations.^[7] Subsequently, all charges save one misdemeanor were dropped.^[8]

Subsequently, Hensley developed a new platform technology based on his theory of altered functioning of EAA transport proteins in neurodegenerative diseases. From this platform, Hensley developed a series of therapies including one for the treatment for migraine headaches. Hensley subsequently formed Migranade, Inc. to further develop the migraine treatment for the market.^[9] Hensley and his company received the National Drug Code (NDC) from the FDA which cleared the therapeutic for sale in the United States.^[10]

Cosmetics[]

In the early 2000s, Hensley partnered with a Hong Kong group to form the Hong Kong–based cosmetic company Jovell, Inc.^[11] The company currently 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.

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 new holding company and entered the arenas of music, television and film production.

Hensley Records was formed in 2009. In the first year of existence, the record label signed ten recording artists representing goth, alternative, pop and R&B genres.

In 2016, Hensley and his partners acquired the federally registered trademark for Desilu and set out to expand the brand into a global entertainment empire. Hensley's Desilu Corporation ^[12] is the parent company to Desilu Studios ^[13] and Desilu Resorts & Casinos.^[14] In 2018 Desilu Studios filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against CBS over the Desilu mark. CBS subsequently filed a counter suit against Hensley, Desilu Corporation and Desilu Studios.^[15]

References[]