Former Hologic CEO Named Chairman of Scottish Firm

It didn’t take Robert Cascella very long to find another job.

Five months after stepping down from Hologic Inc., Cascella has assumed the role of board chairman at DySIS Medical Ltd., a Scottish maker of women’s health products.  

Cascella has more than 30 years of experience in the life sciences industry but is best known for his 10-year stint as president/CEO of Hologic, maker of imaging and diagnostic devices for women’s health, including mammography machines and prenatal testing systems.  After the company bought diagnostics maker Gen-Probe in 2012 for $3.8 billion, it struggled to define a workable business model. Hologic projects sales will fall between 1 percent and 3 percent in fiscal 2014 to about $2.4 billion, and the company has recorded a loss in five of the last six years.

Prior to Hologic, Cascella served as managing partner of CFG Capital LLC, an investment banking firm specializing in healthcare and was the chief operating officer and vice president of finance at NeoVision Corporation, a developer of 3-D ultrasound technology used for real-time guidance of interventional breast procedures.

“We welcome Robert as chairman. His industry knowledge, market and technology expertise and extensive connections in the women’s healthcare industry add substantial value to our team. I look forward to working with him,” DySIS CEO Alastair Atkinson said.

Cascella is looking forward to the opportunity as well.

“I look forward to working with Alastair and the team on the commercialization strategy of a technology capable of improving upon the diagnostic protocols for cervical disease,” Cascella said. “DySIS has the unique opportunity to increase the effectiveness of the current standard of care in developed markets, while potentially addressing an unmet healthcare need in emerging markets, where the diagnosis and treatment of cervical disease remains woefully inadequate.”

DySIS Medical’s flagship product is a non-invasive device to help doctors detect and diagnose pre-cancerous cervix lesions. Founded in 2002, the company raised 7 million pounds ($11 million) in venture capital last April from Lundbeckfond Ventures, Albion Ventures and the Scottish Investment Bank. DySIS executives said they will use the funds to expand the company’s U.S. and European marketing efforts.