REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--HeartFlow, Inc. today announced that William C. Weldon, a board member of the Company since December 2014, has been appointed chairman. This will enable chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) John H. Stevens, M.D., to focus on leading HeartFlow into its next stage of growth. Dr. Stevens will continue to serve as president and CEO of HeartFlow, as well as a director of the Company.
“I am pleased to have Bill’s leadership and expertise as chairman for our global growth strategy. In partnership with Bill and the rest of the board, I will continue to work closely with our leadership team to increase access and enable adoption of HeartFlow FFRct by clinicians worldwide. Our mission is to become the standard of care for patients with suspected coronary artery disease,” said Dr. Stevens. “Bill will continue in his role providing leadership, support and expertise as we continue to launch our groundbreaking technology globally.”
“HeartFlow is one of the most important healthcare companies I have seen during my career,” said Mr. Weldon, who was formerly chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson. “By combining state-of-the art application of deep learning, extraordinary strength and depth of understanding, and experience in healthcare, HeartFlow’s game-changing, non-invasive technology has the potential to transform the care of patients with cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of mortality worldwide. This technology stands to benefit millions of patients around the world by providing personalized, predictive medicine, while significantly reducing costs to healthcare systems globally. I look forward to continuing my work with the experienced leadership team and the board to make this potential a reality.”
During his tenure at Johnson & Johnson, the pharmaceutical, consumer products and medical technology industry giant, Mr. Weldon held various positions of increasing responsibility across business segments, including worldwide chairman of the Pharmaceuticals Group. Ultimately, he was appointed chairman and CEO and led the company through significant expansion and growth. In addition to HeartFlow, Weldon currently serves on the boards of directors of JP Morgan Chase & Co., CVS Health Corporation and Exxon Mobile Corporation. He graduated from Quinnipiac University and is chairman of the school’s board of trustees.
About HeartFlow® FFRct
HeartFlow FFRct is the first and only non-invasive technology that combines anatomic information from a coronary CT angiogram and physiology from HeartFlow FFRct to provide insight into both the extent of coronary artery disease (CAD) and its impact on blood flow to the heart, enabling clinicians to select an appropriate and personalized treatment for each patient. HeartFlow FFRct has received regulatory approval and is commercially available in the United States, Canada, Europe and Japan. To date, more than 10,000 patients have benefited from this technology.
A growing number of organizations support the use of HeartFlow FFRct as part of the diagnostic and treatment pathway for CAD. Several payers have issued positive coverage decisions, including Aetna, which covers more than 46 million lives. Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) Association’s Evidence Street issued a positive healthcare evidence review of HeartFlow FFRct, determining that it provides a meaningful improvement in net health outcome when used to guide the care of patients with stable chest pain who are at intermediate risk of CAD and are being considered for invasive coronary angiography. Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies collectively provide healthcare coverage for 105 million Americans. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) of the U.K.’s National Health Service, which covers 59 million lives, issued positive guidance, recommending the technology to help determine the cause of stable chest pain in patients. The American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Heart Association (AHA) recently released updated Appropriate Use Criteria for Coronary Revascularization in Patients with Stable Ischemic Heart Disease, which include the use of HeartFlow FFRct by healthcare providers in determining the appropriateness of revascularizations in many clinical scenarios.
About HeartFlow, Inc.
HeartFlow, Inc. is transforming the way cardiovascular disease is diagnosed and treated. The company’s HeartFlow FFRct is the first available non-invasive solution that enables a physician to more accurately evaluate whether a patient has significant coronary artery disease (CAD) based on both anatomy and physiology. HeartFlow FFRct, which leverages deep learning to create a personalized 3D model of the patient’s arteries, is well positioned to become an integral part of the standard of care for patients who are at risk for CAD because of its potential to improve both clinical outcomes and the patient experience while reducing the cost of care. HeartFlow FFRct is commercially available in the United States, Canada, Europe and Japan. For more information visit www.heartflow.com.
