MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Respicardia®, a developer of implantable therapies to improve respiratory and cardiovascular health, has announced the appointment of world-renowned cardiologist, Dr. William T. Abraham, and seasoned medical device industry executive, Scott R. Ward, to its Board of Directors. The company, which announced the completion of active enrollment of its global pilot study using the remedē® System to restore a more normal breathing pattern in patients with central sleep apnea, will leverage both Dr. Abraham’s and Scott Ward’s expertise in their respective areas to advance Respicardia’s strategic objectives.
“We are extremely pleased that Scott Ward and Dr. Abraham, both champions of implantable devices for patients with heart failure, have joined our Board of Directors as we begin to prepare for the next step in the FDA approval process, our pivotal trial,” said Bonnie Labosky, CEO of Respicardia. “Scott Ward’s rich career in implantable devices and unique focus in neurostimulators, coupled with Dr. Abraham’s deep understanding of the role of sleep apnea in heart failure, will be invaluable to us. These prominent appointments underscore the value of the remedē System as an innovative, reliable and safe treatment option for patients with central sleep apnea.”
Dr. Abraham is director of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and deputy director of the Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute at The Ohio State University. He earned his medical degree from Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts, following which he completed his residency in internal medicine and fellowships in cardiology and heart failure/cardiac transplantation at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. Dr. Abraham, who has a research interest in the comorbidity of heart failure in patients with sleep disordered breathing, has received grants from the National Institutes of Health, the American College of Cardiology, and the Aetna Quality Care Foundation, and has participated as principal investigator in more than 100 multicenter clinical drug and device trials.
Scott Ward is president of Raymond Holdings, LLC, a firm focused on the life sciences with activities in venture capital, corporate strategy and transactional advisory services. From 1981 to 2010, he has held various senior management positions at Medtronic, Inc. with increasing responsibility, including senior vice president and president, Vascular and Cardiovascular; senior vice president and president, Neurological, Gastroenterology, Urology and Diabetes; and, president, Neurological Business. Scott Ward is chairman of the board of MAP Pharmaceuticals and Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare.
About Respicardia
Founded in 2006 and headquartered near Minneapolis, Minnesota, Respicardia® is dedicated to developing implantable therapies designed to improve the respiratory and cardiovascular health of patients. The company’s initial product, the remedē® System, is an implantable stimulation device that is designed to restore a more regular breathing pattern during sleep for patients with central sleep apnea. For more information on the company and participation in its upcoming pivotal clinical trial, please visit www.respicardia.com.