Neurologist dreams up patient-friendly pillow

The Florida physician turns his invention into a business, as Sona Pillow gets its start from eager patients with sleep disorders.

By Mike Norbut, AMNews staff. June 19, 2006.


Business Pitch
Making sidelines pay
Doctors who branched out beyond running their practice tell why they did it, how they did it, and what you should know before you do it. Contribute

Name: Najeeb Zuberi, MD

Specialty: Neurology

Location: Kissimmee, Fla.

Business: Sleep Devices Inc. The company sells Sona Pillow, a patented, contoured pillow that serves as a treatment option for people with sleep apnea and snoring problems. The product is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Why he started the business: Dr. Zuberi developed his interest in sleep disorders during a fellowship at the University of California, Los Angeles. He quickly saw that patients were not having great success dealing with sleep apnea with the standard treatment, involving continuous positive airway pressure machines.