Donna Janson

Even as news of the region's biotech industry remains bleak, San Diego-based Novalar Pharmaceuticals just launched its first new product and has another in development.

The launch drug, Oraverse, is phentolamine mesylate, which reverses the effects of dental anesthesia.
Growth potential for the drug is anticipated to be high, especially with the rise of cosmetic dentistry. And right now there are no known competitors on the market.