The woman behind 'female Viagra' sold her company for $1 billion — then got it back for free
Sarah Berger | @sarahelizberger |
2 Hours Ago In 2015, Cindy Eckert (then Whitehead) made headlines after landing a billion-dollar deal for the company she co-founded, Sprout Pharmaceuticals, which developed female libido-boosting drug Addyi. It was far from a fairy-tale exit though; the company that acquired Sprout was plagued with problems and, ultimately, the business was given back to Eckert and its former shareholders — for free.
Now, Eckert and Sprout are getting something rare in the world of start-ups: a second chance.
"People think I had a billion-dollar exit, there was a billion-dollar happy ending. Well, it didn't go that way," Eckert, 44, tells CNBC Make It. "But it taught me the power of my own resolve."
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https://www.cnbc.com/2018/06/21/cindy-eckert-whitehead-back-as-ceo-of-female-viagra-company-sprout.html