PLEASANTON, Calif., Sept. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Zeltiq Aesthetics, a science-based medical device company dedicated to the development of non-invasive procedures for the reduction of unwanted fat tissue, has announced the appointment of Gordie Nye as its new CEO. Mr. Nye succeeds Mitch Levinson, the founder of Zeltiq Aesthetics, who served as President since September 2005, and as Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors since 2006. Mr. Levinson will continue as a key member of the senior executive team.
Gordie Nye brings over 25 years of senior management and operational expertise to Zeltiq Aesthetics. During his career, Mr. Nye has demonstrated outstanding leadership skills, and has both deep life sciences and consumer marketing experience.
In 2003, Mr. Nye joined Prism VentureWorks as a General Partner in its life sciences investment team where he focused on medical devices. During this time, he served on the boards of several Prism portfolio companies and will remain active as a Director of certain select Prism companies.
“We are very excited to have Gordie on board signaling the transition of Zeltiq to a commercial enterprise. Mitch did an exceptional job shepherding this revolutionary approach through product development, and now we are ready to establish Zeltiq as the premier technology brand in the aesthetic market,” said Director Nathan Every, MD, MPH, of Frazier Healthcare Ventures.
Prior to joining Prism, Mr. Nye served as a Director, early stage investor, and CEO of REVA Medical, Inc., the developer of a novel resorbable, drug-eluting stent for the interventional cardiology market. In 1998, Mr. Nye and colleagues at Group Outcome joined with Liberty Partners to acquire Critikon, the patient monitoring unit of Johnson & Johnson. There, he served as President and CEO and led a comprehensive product line overhaul. GE Medical Systems acquired Critikon in 2000. Mr. Nye was also President, CEO and Director of “A” Company, a premier brand in the orthodontic appliance market. As with Critikon, Mr. Nye presided over a product line overhaul and eventual sale to Sybron International (now part of Danaher).
Prior to moving into the medical technology industry, Mr. Nye spent nearly 15 years in the consumer packaged goods & leisure business in a variety of marketing, sales and general management roles for companies including Gillette, Olin Ski Company, Reebok and L.A. Gear.
“I am thrilled to join Zeltiq because I can draw from my experience in relevant consumer products and medical technology businesses to propel the company through its commercial phase,” said Mr. Nye. “With its advanced cooling technology for fat layer reduction, best-in-class engineering, exceptional talent and superb physician relationships, we hope to position Zeltiq as the most scientifically rigorous and innovative company in the medical aesthetics market.”
About Zeltiq Aesthetics
Zeltiq Aesthetics, founded in 2005, is a science-based medical device company dedicated to the development of non-invasive procedures for the reduction of unwanted fat tissue. The initial Cryolipolysis research and patents were originated at The Wellman Center by Dr. Dieter Manstein and Dr. R. Rox Anderson. Zeltiq has exclusive rights to this innovative new approach to removing fat.
The Zeltiq Procedure is cleared by Health Canada and the European Union for non-invasive fat layer reduction through cold-assisted lipolysis and is available for sale to physicians on a limited basis in the European Union, Canada, the USA, and other select international markets. The Zeltiq device is also cleared by the U.S. FDA for various applications related to skin cooling during dermatologic treatments, with a pending application for non-invasive fat layer reduction. For more information, please visit www.zeltiq.com
