Ghent, Belgium – 31 August 2021 – Sequana Medical NV (Euronext Brussels: SEQUA, the “Company”), an innovator in the treatment of diuretic-resistant fluid overload in liver disease, malignant ascites and heart failure, today announces that it has appointed Jackie Fielding, a former Vice President of Medtronic with more than 30 years of experience in the healthcare industry, as an independent Non-Executive Director of the Company, effective as of 1 September 2021 upon approval by the Board of Directors. She replaces Jason Hannon who is stepping down from the Board of Directors due to his return to California. The appointment of Ms. Fielding will be submitted for confirmation to the Company’s next General Meeting of Shareholders.
“We are delighted to welcome Jackie Fielding to our Board of Directors,” said Pierre Chauvineau, Chairman of the Board at Sequana Medical. “Her extensive experience in the development and commercialisation of innovative medical devices and as a board member in both the corporate and public sectors will be invaluable as we progress the development of alfapump® and alfapump DSR®, seeking to transform the care of liver disease and heart failure. We thank Jason for his tremendous contributions and wish him well with his return to California.”
Ms. Fielding spent 28 years with Medtronic, most recently as Vice President UK / Ireland, where she was responsible for more than 700 staff and revenue of approximately $750 million. She held a number of external posts alongside her role at Medtronic, including Chair of the BCIA (British Cardiovascular Intervention Association) and council member of the BCIS (British Cardiovascular Intervention Society).
In 2010, she was elected to the Board of Directors of ABHI (Association of British HealthTech Industries) and in 2015 was appointed Vice Chair. Ms. Fielding has worked with the UK’s NHS (National Health Service) Clinical Entrepreneur programme and was a member of the Ministerial Medical Technology Strategy Group. She is Non-Executive Director on the Boards of UK’s NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence), 3D Life Prints and Northumbria Primary Care, of which she is also Chair.
“I look forward to working with the Sequana Medical Board of Directors and Management Team,” said Ms. Fielding. “I believe that their alfapump and Direct Sodium Removal technologies have the potential to transform the care of diuretic-resistant fluid overload, and look forward to contributing my experience and knowledge to the success of the Company.”
For more information, please contact:
Sequana Medical
Lies Vanneste
Director Investor Relations
Tel: +32 498 05 35 79
Email: IR@sequanamedical.com
LifeSci Advisors
Guillaume van Renterghem
Tel: +41 76 735 01 31
Email: gvanrenterghem@lifesciadvisors.com
About Sequana Medical
Sequana Medical is a commercial stage medical device company utilizing its proprietary alfapump® and DSR® (Direct Sodium Removal) technologies to develop innovative treatments for fluid overload in liver disease, malignant ascites and heart failure where diuretics are no longer effective. Fluid overload is a frequent complication of many large diseases including advanced liver disease driven by NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis)-related cirrhosis and heart failure, with diuretic resistance being widespread. The U.S. market for the alfapump resulting from NASH-related cirrhosis is forecast to exceed €3 billion annually within the next 10-20 years. The heart failure market for DSR and the alfapump DSR® is estimated to be over €5 billion annually in the U.S. and EU5 by 2026.
The alfapump is a unique, fully implanted wireless device that automatically pumps fluid from the abdominal cavity into the bladder, where it is naturally eliminated through urination. DSR is Sequana Medical’s proprietary approach to managing sodium and fluid overload through use of a sodium-free infusate administered into the abdominal cavity.
In the U.S., the Company’s key growth market, the alfapump has been granted breakthrough device designation by the FDA for recurrent or refractory ascites due to liver cirrhosis. Interim data from the ongoing North American pivotal study (POSEIDON) showed positive outcomes against all primary endpoints of the study and a rapid and persistent clinically important improvement in quality of life. This study is intended to support a future marketing application of the alfapump in the U.S. and Canada. In Europe, the alfapump is CE-marked for the management of refractory ascites due to liver cirrhosis and malignant ascites and is included in key clinical practice guidelines. Over 850 alfapump systems have been implanted to date.
Sequana Medical has combined its proven alfapump and proprietary DSR therapy, and is developing the alfapump DSR, a breakthrough approach to fluid overload due to heart failure. RED DESERT, the repeated dose alfapump DSR study in diuretic-resistant heart failure patients has demonstrated that repeated DSR therapy is able to both manage the fluid and sodium balance of these patients as well as restore their diuretic response and improve their cardio-renal status. The SAHARA DESERT study of alfapump DSR in decompensated heart failure patients is ongoing.
Sequana Medical is headquartered in Ghent, Belgium. For further information, please visit www.sequanamedical.com.
Important Regulatory Disclaimers
The alfapump® system is not currently approved in the United States or Canada. In the United States and Canada, the alfapump® system is currently under clinical investigation (POSEIDON Study) and is being studied in adult patients with refractory or recurrent ascites due to cirrhosis. For more information regarding the POSEIDON clinical study see www.poseidonstudy.com. The DSR® therapy is still in development and it should be noted that any statements regarding safety and efficacy arise from ongoing pre-clinical and clinical investigations which have yet to be completed. The DSR® therapy is not currently approved for clinical research in the United States or Canada. There is no link between the DSR® therapy and ongoing investigations with the alfapump® system in Europe, the United States or Canada.
Note: alfapump® is a registered trademark. DSR® and alfapump DSR® are registered trademarks in the Benelux.
Forward-looking statements
This press release may contain predictions, estimates or other information that might be considered forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. These forward-looking statements represent the current judgment of Sequana Medical on what the future holds, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Sequana Medical expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements in this press release, except if specifically required to do so by law or regulation. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect the opinions of Sequana Medical only as of the date of this press release.
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