Established in 2015 and based in France, SafeHeal is a clinical stage medical device manufacturer. Specializing in the development of anastomosis protection devices for colorectal surgery, SafeHeal’s premier device, Colovac1, was designed to eliminate the need for diverting ostomy in patients undergoing colectomy.
Clinical trials indicate that Colovac may improve and expedite recovery from colorectal surgery. This is an especially important benefit for surgeons, clinicians, and postoperative care professionals, and for the community of colorectal cancer patients worldwide.
Milestones: Colovac in the Making
The SafeHeal Team
President & CEO
Chris has over 30 years experience taking medical device startup companies from the clinical trial phase through worldwide commercialization and into acquisition. Chris has also held leadership positions at Boston Scientific and at Guidant.
Chris Richardson
President & CEO
VP, International
With more than 25 years of experience managing international business operations, Karl is a specialist in capital equipment and the development and production of medical devices and technology.
Karl Blohm
VP, International
VP, US operations
With 23 years in global medical device marketing and business development with large-cap corporations, Scott oversees SafeHeal’s U.S. operations toward commercialization as well as global expansion opportunities.
Scott DePierro
VP, US operations
VP, Regulatory Affairs and Quality
Marcos has over 25 years of experience in Regulatory/Clinical Affairs and Quality Assurance in support of the medical device industry including US and International, venture capital (VC) -funded start-ups, private, mid-sized and large public companies.
Marcos Velez-Duran
VP, Regulatory Affairs and Quality
VP, R&D, Manufacturing
Michael brings 10yrs of experience in biomedical engineering and project management, overseeing SafeHeal’s research and development and pre-commercial manufacturing.
Michael Augelli
VP, R&D, Manufacturing
VP, Clinical Affairs
Heather brings over 20 years of experience in leading global Clinical and Regulatory strategy for both large-cap public corporations and venture-funded startups. Heather leads SafeHeal’s clinical strategy and execution of rigorous clinical trials to support regulatory approval and commercial launch.
Heather Cronin
VP, Clinical Affairs
Board of Directors
- Andy Weiss
Mr. Weiss brings over 30 years experience in leadership positions of large, mid-size and early stage medical device companies, including GE, Marquette, and Medtronic. Since leading and overseeing the successful acquisitions of innovative medical device startups Vital Images, CoAxia, and ReCor Medical Systems, Mr. Weiss is currently a Director of May Health and Ziteo Medical.
- Anne Osdoit
Anne Osdoit runs MD Start Strategy, the in-house Medtech accelerator for Soffinova Partners. Anne is a Board member of both SafeHeal and AblaCare – two companies where she was also founding CEO. Anne is also the founding and current CEO of both Gradient Denervation Technologies and Moon Surgical.
https://sofinnovapartners.com/team/anne-osdoit
- Antoine Papiernik
Antoine Papiernik is Chairman and Managing Partner at Sofinnova Partners, which he joined in 1997. Antoine has been an initial investor and active board member in numerous public and private companies, including SafeHeal. He has been selected twice for the Forbes Midas List, an annual ranking recognizing the world’s top venture capital investors.
https://sofinnovapartners.com/team/antoine-papiernik
- Jay Watkins
Jay Watkins is an operating executive with extensive experience founding and funding healthcare companies. He has served as a board member for both private and public medtech companies.
- Michel Therin, DVM, PhD
Dr. Therin is a global leader in the medical device industry, previously as President, Advanced Therapies at Siemens Healthineers, and more than a decade at Medtronic as the Global Vice President and General Manager of General Surgery.
- Sean Zhang
Sean is the Vice President and Head of Business Development at Genesis Medtech, a leading medical device innovator and provider in APAC with a fast-growing global footprint.
- Chris Richardson
Chris has over 30 years experience taking medical device startup companies from the clinical trial phase through worldwide commercialization and into acquisition. Chris has also held leadership positions at Boston Scientific and at Guidant.
Awards & Recognition
SafeHeal is the first company created and incubated by MD Start, a medtech accelerator developing innovative medical devices based on inventions from physicians. It is currently funded by MD Start, Sofinnova Partners, and Genesis Medtech.
SafeHeal is laureate of the Worldwide Innovation Challenge 2015 edition (Concours Mondial de l’Innovation - Phases 1 and 2) and of the iLab grant program, which foster talent and bring out future champions of the French economy.
SafeHeal was elected as the most promising and innovative investor conference MedTech start-up at Biovision 2016 and, was a finalist for the global Medtech Innovator 2016 competition.
SafeHeal is a 2016 recipient of the Charles Foix grant which rewards innovations aimed at improving the quality of life of elderly people.
1 Colovac is an Investigational Device, Limited by Federal (or United States) Law to Investigational Use.
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