Direct Flow Medical, Inc., (www.directflowmedical.com) a privately held, medical device company developing a next generation, minimally invasive implant to treat patients with heart valve disease, announced today the appointment of Mr. Paul A. LaViolette to serve on the Company’s Board of Directors.
The Company has developed a catheter-based system to replace the aortic valve percutaneously in patients with valvular disease. The investigational device is an implantable, non-metallic pericardial tissue valve that allows delivery via a transfemoral approach. The product’s added features allowing positioning (or repositioning) and retrieval features are intended to enable physicians to correctly size and place the device in its targeted location providing a new level of safety for the patient.
“We are extremely excited and honored to welcome Paul to the Company’s Board. Paul brings not only tremendous operating experience in interventional medicine to Direct Flow Medical, but vast relationships with key physicians in the field of interventional cardiology and minimally invasive surgery. Having worked with Paul in the past, I know he will significantly lift our developmental and clinical efforts and help us move forward toward regulatory approval and commercialization of our technology,” stated Bernard Lyons, President and CEO of Direct Flow Medical, Inc.
“I am very impressed with the unique product design, experienced team assembled, strong financial position and potential of Direct Flow Medical. Their ability to improve upon the early results of the first generation devices is quite evident in their progress to date. I look forward to joining the Board and helping Direct Flow compete successfully in this rapidly emerging marketplace,” said Mr. LaViolette.
Mr. LaViolette is a Senior Advisor at Boston Scientific Corporation where he has been employed for 15 years. Since 2004, he was Chief Operating Officer where he had global responsibilities for all business units except Cardiac Rhythm Management. He was previously Group President of the Cardiovascular and Interventional Cardiology for a period of over 6 years. Prior to joining Boston Scientific Corporation, he spent 10 years with C.R. Bard, his last position being the President of the Cardiology Division.
About Direct Flow Medical, Inc.
Direct Flow Medical was founded in 2004 by Gordon Bishop and Randy Lashinski. The Company is headquartered in Santa Rosa, California and currently employs over 50 people. Direct Flow Medical has raised $35 million in 2 rounds of private equity financing from EDF Ventures, Spray Venture Partners, New Leaf Venture Partners, Johnson & Johnson Development Corporation, Foundation Medical Partners, Vantage Point Partners and ePlanet Ventures.
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