BG Medicine Appoints New CEO

Waltham, Mass.-based cardiovascular diagnostics company BG Medicine Inc. has appointed Paul Sohmer, M.D., to the post of president and CEO and as a member of the board of directors. Sohmer, who brings more than 25 years of experience leading the growth of commercial-stage companies focused on diagnostics, laboratory services, and medical devices, replaces Eric Bouvier as CEO.

“Paul Sohmer has a strong track record of building commercially successful diagnostic companies and we are excited to have him lead BG Medicine,” said Stephane Bancel, executive chairman of BG. “With two diagnostic tests that aim to meet important needs in cardiovascular care and a focus on execution, we believe the pieces are in place to accelerate our commercial growth and deliver results for our shareholders.”

Sohmer has led multiple high-growth companies in the areas of in vitro diagnostics and hospital-based and esoteric reference laboratory services. He served most recently as president and CEO of Viracor-IBT Laboratories Inc., a diagnostic and research laboratory specializing in allergy, immunology and infectious disease testing. Previously, Sohmer was CEO of Orthocon Inc., a developer, manufacturer and marketer of implantable medical products; and before that, served as interim CEO of Cylex Inc. and CEO of Pathway Diagnostics Ltd. He was president and CEO of publicly traded Neuromedical Systems Inc., before its acquisition by TriPath Imaging, Inc., and was TriPath’s chairman, president and CEO before its acquisition by Becton, Dickinson and Co. Earlier in his career, Sohmer served as president and CEO of Genetrix, Inc., a genetic testing lab that was acquired by Genzyme Corporation. Sohmer holds a B.A. from Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., and an M.D. from the Chicago Medical School.

“I am thrilled to be asked to lead BG Medicine, which is poised to bring improvements to the quality and delivery of cardiovascular care through its diagnostic tests for heart failure, and for the prediction of major cardiovascular events,” Sohmer said. “The clinical case for widespread galectin-3 testing in heart failure continues to grow stronger, especially given the role it can play as part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce unplanned hospital readmissions for heart failure patients. Cardioscore, which is now available in the European Union, is expected to play an important role in identifying patients at high risk of a near-term cardiovascular events. Our challenge now is to unlock the clinical and commercial potential of the company’s diagnostic tests. Going forward we will work to enhance and leverage our assets to create a commercial engine that will allow us to grow and drive our margin.”