David Mester Named Protaryx Medical CEO

Protaryx Medical has appointed David Mester as CEO. With a career spanning more than 30 years in the structural heart medical device industry, Mester brings a wealth of experience and expertise to guide the company.
 
Before joining Protaryx Medical, Mester held pivotal senior business and technical leadership roles at various organizations, including Sequoia Medical, Xeltis, Gore Medical, CarboMedics, and ViVitro Labs. He has dedicated his career to advancing innovative materials and delivery systems for heart valve applications. Notably, he led the acquisition of new technologies and played an instrumental role in forming a new business unit at Gore Medical to explore novel heart valve technology.
 
Mester’s leadership prowess extends to overseeing first-in-human and early feasibility studies for emerging technologies, as well as leading numerous successful regulatory submissions for cardiovascular products. He is a respected figure in the industry, with active participation in regulatory sponsored working groups and a longstanding membership with the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) for ISO 5840WG TC150/SC2.
 
“David Mester’s track record in driving innovation and leading transformative initiatives in the structural heart medical device industry makes him the perfect fit to lead Protaryx Medical into its next phase of growth,” Protaryx Founder/Officer Jim Gammie, M.D., said. “His extensive experience in business leadership, technical expertise, and his commitment to advancing innovation to improve patient care align seamlessly with our mission to redefine procedural outcomes”.
 
Mester’s academic journey includes studies at St. Edwards University in business and applied science, as well as an MBA from Louisiana State University.
 
In addition to naming a new leader, Protaryx also has appointed Peter Boyd to its Board of Directors. Boyd is a healthcare entrepreneur with a background in business, science and law. He was a co-founding member of Harpoon Medical, where he negotiated and managed all aspects of a complex structured financing and the subsequent acquisition by Edwards Lifesciences.
 
Boyd has worked an associate at Latham & Watkins in Silicon Valley in the emerging company and M&A practice groups, co-founded various startups including ReGeleTec Inc., Sonnest Inc., and Wheelhouse Ventures, and is an advisor to multiple startups including CoapTech and NeoProgen. Boyd earned his JD/MBA from the University of Virginia and a bachelor of science degree in biology from the University of North Carolina.
 
Protaryx Medical’s Protaryx Transseptal Access Device reportedly revolutionizes transseptal procedures, providing streamlined access to the heart’s left side through the fossa ovalis. The technology integrates access and transseptal crossing functions into a single device, whether used independently or with therapeutic products. This approach optimizes workflow efficiency and enhances patient outcomes, according to the company.
 
Protaryx Medical is focused on advancing access and procedural efficiency in structural heart interventions. The company’s flagship product, the Protaryx Transseptal Access Device, streamlines access to the heart’s left side and optimizes workflow efficiency. The company is headquartered in Baltimore, with engineering operations in Minneapolis.