PECA Labs Adds Joseph E. Bavaria, MD to Board of Directors
July 30 2024 - 7:05AM
Business Wire
Cardiac-thoracic surgeon and valve expert
brings decades of experience and leadership to help develop and
commercialize novel technology and cardiovascular devices
PECA Labs, a medical device company reimagining the field of
vascular grafts and valves with durable polymeric cardiovascular
devices designed to fit, grow, and last, has added Joseph E.
Bavaria, MD to its board of directors. Dr. Bavaria, an
internationally renowned cardiac and thoracic surgeon and an expert
in repairing and replacing cardiac valves, will provide key
leadership to PECA as it continues to develop and commercialize
cardiovascular implants based on its novel tunable polymeric
material platform.
Dr. Bavaria adds more than 30 years of experience in cardiac and
thoracic surgery, research and leadership to PECA’s board. He is
currently chair of Cardiac Surgery at Jefferson Health and
executive director of the Jefferson Heart and Vascular Institute in
Philadelphia. Previously he spent more than three decades at Penn
Medicine where he served in a number of leadership roles, including
vice chief, Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, director of the
Thoracic Aortic Surgery Program, co-director of the Transcatheter
Valve Program, and founder of the Penn Aorta Center. Dr. Bavaria
has completed extensive research and served in international
leadership positions including president of the Society of Thoracic
Surgeons, president of the Thoracic Surgery Foundation, board
member of the Heart Valve Society, and executive committee member
of the European Association of CardioThoracic Surgery. He is
program director of this year’s Aortic Valve Repair Symposium. Dr.
Bavaria earned his Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and
Medical degrees from Tulane University, and completed residencies
at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Children’s
Hospital of Philadelphia.
Dr. Bavaria was also chair of the Medical Board CardiAQ, which
developed a transcatheter mitral valve and was acquired by Edwards
Lifesciences for over $350M.
“Dr. Bavaria’s extensive leadership in cardiovascular surgery,
particularly in innovating valve repair and replacement, will be
immeasurable as we continue to develop and commercialize our MASA
Valve and our STEALTH valve technologies,” said Doug Bernstein, CEO
of PECA Labs. “Few have the combination of hands-on, research and
educational experience as Dr. Bavaria, making him an enormous asset
as we move closer to our goal to provide devices that reduce or
eliminate the need for replacement surgeries, thereby reducing the
risk of morbidity and mortality in at-risk patients.”
The addition of Dr. Bavaria to PECA’s board follows the
appointment of Dr. Jeffrey P. Carpenter, Jeffrey O’Donnell, Sr. and
Samuel E. Navarro to the board and the elevation of Mr. O’Donnell
to executive chairman. PECA also recently opened a new facility for
polymeric processing, moving critical manufacturing in-house to
provide the company with greater control of its manufacturing
processes and the ability to scale quickly as it grows.
PECA Labs’ MASA Valve is a durable polymeric valved conduit for
pulmonary valve reconstruction. Designed for pediatrics, the MASA
Valve is designed to help patients avoid repeat surgeries and
reduce morbidity and mortality. The novel polymeric valve
previously received Humanitarian Use Device (HUD) and
Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) from the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA). Enrollment continues at four clinical sites
in the U.S. as part of its MASA Valve Early Feasibility Clinical
Study (MVEFS).
PECA Labs developed the MASA Valve to be made entirely of
polymeric materials that help avoid body’s immune response and
valve calcification that are inherent to biologic valved conduits
and the leading cause of valve failure. Engineered for greater
durability, the MASA Valve is constructed of PECA’s proprietary
conduit and leaflet membrane, allowing for the production of a wide
array of sizes to ensure a match with each patient’s unique
anatomy. The MASA Valve could help reduce the need for replacement
surgeries and interventions, thereby reducing the risk of morbidity
and mortality. If approved, the MASA Valve would be the only
non-biologic valve replacement option for this important procedure,
and aims to be the first fully polymeric valve on the market.
PECA’s first FDA-cleared implant is the exGraft, a polymeric
graft indicated for use as a vascular prosthesis. exGraft recently
received a new CE Mark as well to allow for the use of over-sized
balloon dilation. Post-operative expansion is designed to allow for
increasing graft diameter, which may enable the graft to match
growth in pediatric populations or help to avoid restenosis
(narrowing) in adults. PECA Labs’ exGraft family of vascular grafts
are intended for use as vascular prostheses for replacement or
bypass of diseased or injured vessels, and includes instructions
for post-operative expansion up to 140 percent with the use of
oversized balloon catheters. Pre-operatively, the controlled
dilation may help address unique anatomies. The exGraft’s
capability to be balloon-expanded in the cath lab provides cardiac
care teams greater flexibility in treating patients.
“PECA Labs is working to solve some important challenges in
cardiovascular implants, including the use of next-generation
polymeric materials, which could make significant improvements to
patient outcomes,” said Dr. Bavaria. “I look forward to working
with the company and rest of the board of directors in an effort to
create a meaningful impact with its technologies.”
About PECA Labs
PECA Labs is reimagining the field of vascular grafts and valves
with durable polymeric cardiovascular devices that are designed to
fit, grow and last to help patients avoid repeat surgeries and
reduce morbidity and mortality. PECA’s proprietary technologies, a
controllably-expandable graft and low- thrombosis polymeric
membrane, consist of a proprietary tunable polymer material
platform that represents a new approach in engineering synthetic
materials for greater durability and customization than currently
available cardiovascular implants. The company’s grafts and
conduits are designed to lead to a longer lifespan compared to
currently available products, due to resistance to thrombosis,
calcification and immune response, and by providing growth
potential, customization, and noninvasive visualization. For more
information visit www.pecalabs.com.
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Joe Duraes Pazanga Health Communications
jduraes@pazangahealth.com (917) 687-6419