Dr. Andrew Talal, a University at Buffalo Professor of Medicine and leading liver disease expert, first participated in I-Corps in 2020 to evaluate the market fit of a facilitated telemedicine approach for hepatitis C (HCV) treatment in opioid treatment programs. The team completed a 7-year, 12-site, 600-patient PCORI-funded study across NYS, securing >$10M in funding and demonstrating >90% effectiveness compared to the ~30% of established approaches. The trial was recognized among the Top 10 Clinical Research Achievements of 2025. Empath Medical Innovations launched to commercialize this digital platform, further exploring regulatory and reimbursement strategies through the IN Hub’s Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) I-Corps conference course.
