Medtech Vet Steve Gex Named CEO At Focal Therapeutics

Steve Gex Named CEO at Focal Therapeutics

PORTOLA VALLEY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Steve Gex, an accomplished leader of several medical-device companies in women's healthcare, has been named chief executive officer of Focal Therapeutics, the company said today.

Gex has previously been CEO of a number of highly successful startups such as Biopsys Medical, which made the breakthrough Mammotome® breast cancer biopsy device and was sold to Johnson & Johnson. He also led BioLucent (maker of the MammoPad® cushion known to decrease pain during mammography), which was acquired by Hologic.

“We are extremely pleased to have Steve on board as CEO,” said George Hermann, President of Focal Therapeutics. “Steve and I have previously worked together on a variety of successful medical-device startup companies. This is a great opportunity to collaborate again and make the benefits of the BioZorb surgical marker more widely available to women having surgery for breast cancer.”

Focal Therapeutics developed and manufactures the three-dimensional BioZorb™ surgical marker. Its unique open-spiral design incorporates six permanent titanium clips in a fixed 3D array and provides specific landmarks at the site of the excised tumor. The innovative marker, which is placed by a surgeon, clearly identifies the surgical site and is useful in radiation treatment planning, patient positioning, and follow up. It is compatible with traditional methods of radiation, but it is also useful with advanced radiation techniques that are becoming more desirable in the treatment of breast cancer.

“BioZorb is a unique device,” Gex said. “It fits perfectly with the trends in breast cancer care to reduce treatment times and minimize radiation exposure. The company's early clinical work has been very promising, and clearly it has reached the point where it is ready for much broader commercialization.”

In addition to his successes at Biopsys and BioLucent, Gex has been instrumental as a founder and/or board member in companies such as Cianna Medical, Opus Medical, VivaRay and Cayenne Medical.

He has helped to build several companies in collaboration with Hermann and noted breast surgeon Dr. Gail Lebovic, who is Focal's Chief Medical Officer. “We have a team here that has a very successful track record together,” Gex said.

Focal Therapeutics will soon open new company facilities in Aliso Viejo, Calif., to supplement their offices in Portola Valley where Hermann heads R&D and operations.

“Steve’s interest in joining our team is very exciting for all of us,” said Dr. Lebovic. “I can't think of a more perfect fit for Focal Therapeutics. With Steve as CEO, BioZorb will be able to reach its full potential, meeting the critical needs of patients, breast surgeons and radiation oncologists.”

The 3D bioabsorbable marker will be featured at the upcoming annual meeting of the American Society of Breast Surgeons, in Las Vegas on April 30-May 4, during exhibit hall sessions at the Focal Therapeutics booth #529 and at the “Red Hot Topics in Breast Surgery” workshop from 9:30 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, April 30.

About Focal Therapeutics

Focal Therapeutics is a medical device company based in Portola Valley, Calif. The company developed and manufactures the BioZorb tissue marker, a proprietary bioabsorbable device that provides radiographic marking of soft tissue sites. The BioZorb device is placed at the time of surgical removal of tissue, such as during breast surgery, and the device’s three-dimensional array of marker elements has unique clinical utility for patient imaging. The device has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. For more information, call (U.S.) 650-530-2394 or visit www.focalrx.com.

Contacts

Dowling & Dennis Public Relations
Liz Dowling, 415-388-2794
Liz@DowlingDennis.net

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