ApniCure Appoints David P. White, M.D., as Chief Scientific Officer
REDWOOD CITY, CA--(Marketwire - December 10, 2012) - ApniCure, Inc., a medical device company focused on developing and commercializing novel home-use devices for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), today announced the appointment of David P. White, M.D., as chief scientific officer.
"David brings to ApniCure decades of research and clinical experience in sleep medicine and OSA, as well as critical industry expertise in treating sleep disorders," said Steve Carlson, president and chief executive officer of ApniCure. "His leadership and expertise will be invaluable as we ramp up our commercial launch of the Winx Sleep Therapy System, a new alternative for the treatment of all severities of OSA, and leverage our proprietary Oral Pressure Therapy (OPT) platform technology to develop other innovative treatments for patients suffering from OSA."
Before joining ApniCure, Dr. White served as chief medical officer for Philips Respironics, a sleep and respiratory care company. He is currently a professor of sleep medicine at Harvard Medical School and senior physician, Division of Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. Previously, he was director of the Sleep Disorders Program at Brigham and Women's Hospital. He served as editor-in-chief of the journal SLEEP and is the author of more than 180 papers in peer-reviewed publications and numerous book chapters on sleep and respiratory disorders. He has held many leadership roles within professional sleep and pulmonary societies, including the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (Past President) and the American Thoracic Society (Assembly Chair and Board of Directors). He was also chair of the Advisory Board to the National Center for Sleep Disorders Research at NIH. Dr. White holds a B.S. degree from Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Va. and an M.D. from Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. He did his postdoctoral internship and residency in internal medicine, as well as a pulmonary fellowship, at the University of Colorado Health Science Center in Denver. He is board certified in sleep disorders medicine, internal medicine, and pulmonary disease.
Winx Sleep Therapy System
The Winx system is designed to offer a comfortable sleeping experience, allowing users to breathe naturally without a mask. Winx uses a proprietary platform technology called OPT to treat OSA. OPT is a light, oral vacuum delivered by a quiet console through a slim tube connected to a soft mouthpiece. The mouthpiece and vacuum work together to gently pull the soft palate forward and stabilize the tongue, increasing the size of the airway and allowing for natural breathing to occur during sleep. Alternatively, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), the standard treatment for OSA, can be associated with physical and lifestyle challenges related to its forced air delivery through a mask.
ApniCure has received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to market the Winx system and has commercially launched the product in select U.S. markets with broader distribution in 2013.
Important Safety Information
The Winx Sleep Therapy System is intended for use only by order of a physician. It should not be used to treat central sleep apnea or by anyone who has a severe respiratory disorder, such as severe lung disease, pneumothorax, etc.; has loose teeth or advanced periodontal disease; or is under the age of 18. Assessment of effectiveness should be conducted by a physician to ensure adequate treatment effect.
About ApniCure
ApniCure is a private Redwood City, Calif.-based medical device company focused on developing and commercializing novel home-use devices incorporating a proprietary platform technology called Oral Pressure Therapy (OPT) for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and other sleep related disorders. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted the company 510(k) clearance to market its Winx™ Sleep Therapy System in the United States for home-use treatment of OSA. The Winx system is the first in a series of products that ApniCure plans to introduce. For more information, please visit apnicure.com.