VARAYA PHOTOCEUTICALS
Designed at LDA, LLC in Irvine, California.
A NEW PARTNERSHIP
In 2010 the founders of Varaya Photoceuticals approached Myk Lum and the team at LDA about partnering on the development of a new hand-held consumer-grade medical product which would use low level light therapy to reduce inflammation and alleviate pain. Although they knew this technology would work they needed help clarifying their vision regarding the product itself and the markets it could enter.
WHAT IS LOW LEVEL LIGHT THERAPY?
Low level light therapy (LLLT) is an emerging medical technology that uses LEDs to produce specific frequencies of red, amber, green and blue light to promote healing and wellness. These various light frequencies penetrate different tissue levels of the body and stimulate cellular activity in the mitochondria increasing the production of ATP. This increase in ATP production increases cellular respiration, protein synthesis and cellular reproduction which promotes healing by stimulating the repair of damaged tissue.
UNDERSTANDING APPLICATION POTENTIAL
The first step in the development process was understanding what the user applications of this emerging technology were. In researching these applications we discovered a wide range of benefits all of which could be placed into one of four categories: aesthetics & dermatology, pain & injury, psychiatric and family health. Ultimately we decided to focus on the aesthetics & dermatology and pain & injury applications because psychiatric treatment using LLLT had not yet been approved in the US and family health applications would require a less powerful version which was not yet developed.
UNDERSTANDING THE MARKET
After examining the markets we realized we could take advantage of two major opportunities. The first opportunity related to size and price point. Because of obstacles previously inherent to LLLT technology, most units were selling for clinical use between $1,000 and $7,000. This steep price point made units impractical for home use requiring consumers to visit doctors offices and clinics to receive treatment. These clinical units were big and bulky and required big internal motors to power the LEDs. Varaya Photoceutical's technology removed the need for large internal motors reducing size and cost.
The second opportunity related to aesthetics and usability. Because of the high cost for LLLT units most companies were designing them for clinical use leading to an overall aesthetic that was clumsy, sterile and technical. Buttons and user interfaces were counter intuitive and intimidating because they were designed for use by technicians. The large internal motors also increased the footprint of the product making home use difficult and impractical.
STANDING APART FROM THE REST
The Varaya Photoceuticals LLLT unit mixes sporty and elegant aesthetics with a simple user interface to create a fun and easy hand-held product which is one of a kind in the market and empowers the user with clinical technology at home.
