Revisto CEO and Co-Founder Ferry Tamtoro has over two decades of experience in healthcare technology, with a focus on the pharmaceutical and medical device sectors. He’s known for his deep understanding of the importance of building software solutions that compile to regulatory frameworks and security and data privacy standards. 

Ferry’s leadership and successful deployment record span both startup environments and the corporate world, but there’s more to our co-founder than just his (very impressive) resume. Let’s pull the curtain back and get to know Ferry, and his vision for Revisto, a bit more. 

What inspired you to start Revisto? 

Throughout my career, at Amgen and then later at BrightInsight, I’ve witnessed firsthand what happens when it takes longer than expected to release a patient- or HCP-facing app. At first, I thought it was a challenge unique to the healthcare app space, but it turns out, every single externally-facing material in the life sciences industry faces the same challenges. Concurrently, over the last few years, AI technology has been advancing rapidly, making it a perfect time to solve this problem.

Why is Revisto the right team to solve the problems in the MLR review process? 

Our team of industry leaders, top AI engineers, and seasoned developers take a comprehensive approach to analyzing promotional materials. For a solution to meaningfully help SMEs, it needs to be inclusive of everything they look at. Otherwise, SMEs will still need to re-review, and then we haven’t solved a problem at all. 

Our experience also tells us that even though the MLR process is very similar across different pharma companies, the roles involved may be different. We have the real-life experience to ensure successful adoption for every individual brand and quickly drive meaningful business value. 

How do pharmaceutical patients benefit when Revisto succeeds? 

Each year, the number of drug launches increases, even within specific therapeutic areas. Patients are flooded with so much information. That means it’s more important than ever for pharma companies to release targeted communications aimed at specific sub groups. This level of customization means there’s an increased volume of promotional materials–and more MLR reviews than ever before. 

Revisto solves the MLR bottleneck that prevents pharma companies from providing clear communications to patients and HCPs that enable them to pick the right treatment options. 

What are some of the most exciting trends in the business currently?

There’s a huge focus on omnichannel marketing currently, especially with social media and direct-to-consumer marketing. For pharma companies interested in capitalizing on these trends, time is of the essence. You simply have to be able to work with speed and agility. 

Another trend is the use of generative AI for content creation. GenAI significantly speeds up the creative process, which may increase the volume of promotional materials, which puts pressure on the MLR process–the approval process shouldn’t take longer than the content creation! 

Finally, we’re noticing that smaller pharma companies are building their commercialization capabilities internally, versus only partnering with large pharma. Technological advances are allowing these smaller companies to have commercialization capabilities without having to hire so many people.

What other companies or individuals do you admire in this space? 

I’ve been very impressed with the foresight of David Ricks, the CEO of Eli Lilly and Company. Back in 2022, he mentioned Lilly’s efforts in creating a “digital worker-equivalent workforce” using AI—way before ChatGPT went mainstream. In a 2023 article, he noted that the company had already saved 1.4 million hours of human activity. 

Where do you see Revisto in five years?

In five years, I want Revisto to be the most trusted company in this space, and we’re well on our way. We understand the need for accuracy and the potential risks for pharma companies. We also understand that the trust our partners have in us enables them to spend their time focusing on critical strategic initiatives—and that’s a big win for everyone. 

What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done just for fun?

I don’t know if this is crazy or dumb, but when I was in college I went skiing with some friends. After a couple of times down the beginner run, I must have felt overconfident and decided I was ready for a black diamond. Needless to say, this wasn’t a smart idea—after less than a minute I fell and rolled all the way down. Luckily I didn’t hit a tree. I learned a valuable lesson that day: take things one step at a time.