Dea Belazi has helped to propel AscellaHealth to become a global leader in specialty pharmacy and healthcare solutions. “In 2022, he integrated AscellaHealth with subsidiaries Optime Care and Terebellum, building the launch of AscellaHealth as the leader in specialty pharmacy and healthcare solutions worldwide,” the company said.
Belazi’s leadership has helped transform AscellaHealth from a $1 million revenue pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) into a specialty pharmacy powerhouse, achieving a four-year revenue growth of 1,556%. AscellaHealth has received numerous industry awards for innovation, including recognition as the Financial Times Fastest Growing Company for two consecutive years, Deloitte Fast 500, Top Workplaces and NASP Strategic Channel Partner of the Year.
“The founding of AscellaHealth was a risky proposition, based on personal considerations and industry constraints,” Belazi said. “With a wife and young children to support, I really thought long and hard about leaving a stable job to enter into an entrepreneurial venture focused on healthcare and specialty pharmacy solutions within a dynamic, complex industry. At that time, the emerging specialty pharmacy industry was under fire from government regulators as well as payers who were struggling with the extraordinary costs of medication.
“In collaboration with my colleague Bill Oldham, we founded AscellaHealth with minimal cash investment and a vision to build custom solutions throughout the worldwide pharma ecosystem in order to serve patients with complex, chronic conditions or rare diseases. This population was not getting the attention it deserved, and, while we recognized that change was inevitable, it was risky to be the innovators.
“AscellaHealth’s focus is on complex, chronic conditions, rare diseases and specialty medications. Belazi’s commitment to innovation has led to the development of novel programs and services that optimize clinical health outcomes and improve the quality of life for patients,” the company said.
Belazi is at the forefront of tackling the challenges posed by expensive specialty drugs, cell and gene therapies and financial barriers to care, the company said. He has pioneered copay programs and financial solutions that enable industry stakeholders to manage costs and ensure patient access to potentially life-saving therapies.
Belazi spearheads multiple philanthropic programs, including the AscellaHealth Fellowship, which funds advanced training in health outcomes research, and the Belazi Family Foundation, which supports educational initiatives. Belazi also supports global business projects with the Alliance Manchester Business School, providing MBA students with real-world experiences and mentorship opportunities.
Belazi is a 2013 University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy Distinguished Achievement and Dean’s Award recipient. He also has served as a board member for LeGrande Corporation, URI College of Pharmacy Advisory Board and URI Foundation & Alumni Engagement Board of Directors.
