Leading medtech executive joins MediSieve board
MediSieve, the business established by Dr George Frodsham to develop the revolutionary magnetic blood malaria-filter, has appointed experienced medtechexecutiveChris Jones to its board of Directors.
Formerly CEO at continuous intravascular glucose monitoring device company, GlySure, Chris brings extensive marketing and commercial expertise to MediSieve along with specific expertise in leading the development of blood contacting medical devices.
In a career spanning twenty-five years, Chris has overseen the development, launch and market adoption of a range of medical devices and diagnostic products. He has held senior leadership positions in diverse organisations, from venture funded start ups to Fortune 500 companies.
A US national, Chris moved to the UK in 2008 to take up his role with GlySure in Oxfordshire. Here, he led the business from proof of concept through clinical trials and regulatory approval of the world’s first intravascular sensor that enables continuous glucose monitoring in intensive care suites and helps clinicians deliver on the promise of tight glycemic control.
Prior to joining GlySure, Chris was CEO of San Diego based Tensys Medical, which developed and commercialised the first clinically acceptable, continuous, non-invasive blood pressure monitor. This resulted in the successful sale of the company in 2008.
Chris is currently Executive Chairman of the point of care diagnsoticsbusiness, Mologic Ltd and a non-executive director of oesophageal doppler manufacturer, Deltex Medical and NHS technology incubator, Health Enterprise East. He has acted as an advisor to MediSieve and equine blood analysis specialist, StableLab.
Alongside Chris on the MediSieve board is the founder, Dr George Frodsham, and chairman, Quentin Pankhurst. Dr Frodsham founded MediSieve after being awarded his PhD in biochemical engineering from University College London (UCL). As well as being a physicist and engineer, George is an entrepreneur. George was awarded a BBSRC Enterprise Fellowship from the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2014.
Quentin is a world expert in magnetic nanoparticles, and an academic innovator with direct experience in the medical technology sector. He founded Endomagnetics to commercialise a device for sentinel node detection in breast cancer. He played a key role in CE marking the device, which has treated more than 3,500 patients in 15 countries.
Welcoming Chris to the MediSieve board, Dr Frodsham said: “This appointment is a great boost for MediSieve. Chris’ background and track record in this specialised sector are second to none. His expertise spans both the commercial and technical aspects of what we’re aiming to achieve here, so his contribution will benefit the business enormously.”
Treatment with MediSieve’s device involves no drugs or chemicals and offers new hope for malaria patients whose cases are severe or resistant to existing medicines. Initial trials show that the 3D printed magnetic blood filter could extract up to 90 per cent of infected cells from a person with malaria in under four hours.
Red blood cells infected
with a malaria parasite have magnetic properties. This enables MediSieve’s
device to capture them without affecting healthy cells. The process is similar
to dialysis in that infected cells are captured as blood passes through an
external loop. Rapid removal of infected
cells has the potential to turn back the clock on severe malaria reducing symptoms, severity and mortality.
MediSieve’s
breakthrough comes at a time when scientists are increasingly concerned about
drug resistant strains of malaria. Today, three of the five strains of the
disease that affect humans can resist antimalarials – and they’re spreading
across Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam and Myanmar.
Malaria is one of the world’s most deadly diseases. Some 207 million cases are diagnosed every year, claiming 600,000 lives. Very often, the disease is untreatable, either because diagnosis is too late or the strain is resistant to drugs currently available.
For more information, visit www.medisieve.com and follow on Twitter.
For media enquiries, please contact Emma De Maio, redheadPR, 07921 160 134, emma@redheadpr.co.uk.
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