Sequana Medical Appoints Chief Financial Officer

Sequana Medical AG, a commercial stage medical device company focused on the development of treatment solutions for the management of liver disease, heart failure, malignant ascites and other fluid imbalance disorders, has appointed Kirsten Van Bockstaele as chief financial officer, with immediate effect. Van Brockstaele is a seasoned finance executive with extensive international experience in the healthcare industry.
 
Van Brockstaele joins Sequana Medical from Fagron (formerly Arseus), an international pharmaceutical compounding company. Within Fagron, she held a number of senior financial roles, most recently as vice president of Finance, North America. In this role, Van Brockstaele was responsible for creating and overseeing the company’s financial strategy and policy, positioning Fagron’s North American companies for growth. She also played a pivotal role in building out the North American headquarters, supporting the financial integration of acquisitions and assisting in redirecting the company’s strategy.

“We are delighted to welcome Kirsten to Sequana Medical. Kirsten brings significant industry experience and a proven track record of building and leading financial functions in the international healthcare sector,” said Ian Crosbie, CEO of Sequana Medical. “Her expertise and insights will be hugely valuable as we continue to strengthen the company for long-term growth and expand commercialisation of the alfapump system.”
 
Van Brockstaele previously served as chief financial officer for Arseus Dental & Medical Solutions, where she was instrumental in the coordination, support and control of financial activities in key European countries. Her previous roles include financial controller at Omega Pharma and audit manager at PwC. Van Brockstaele has a degree in financial and fiscal sciences from the University of Antwerp, Belgium.
 
“I am delighted to join Sequana Medical during this exciting time of growth,” said Van Bockstaele. “Sequana Medical is an innovator in the management of liver disease, heart failure and other fluid imbalance disorders and I look forward to working with Ian and the team in continuing to bring improved treatment options to patients.”
 
Sequana Medical is a commercial stage medical device company focused on the development of innovative treatment solutions for the management of liver disease, heart failure, malignant ascites and other fluid imbalance disorders. The company is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, and investors include NeoMed Management, Life Science Partners, VI Partners, Biomed Invest, Capricorn Health Tech, Entrepreneur’s Fund, and Salus Partners. Sequana Medical’s first product, alfapump, is a fully implantable, programmable, wirelessly-charged, battery-powered system that is CE-marked for i) the management of refractory ascites (chronic fluid build-up in the abdomen) due to liver cirrhosis and ii) malignant ascites (with a life expectancy of six months or less). The number of patients with refractory ascites is forecast to increase dramatically due to the growing prevalence of NASH (Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis), particularly in North America.
 
Over 650 alfapumps have been implanted and since 2018, the alfapump is included in the EASL clinical practice guidelines for decompensated cirrhosis. The alfapump is one of the first real alternatives to large-volume paracentesis, a lengthy, invasive and painful procedure that can require weekly hospital visits for drainage of excess fluid. By automatically and continuously moving ascites to the bladder, where the body eliminates it naturally through urination, the alfapump prevents fluid build-up and its possible complications, improving patient quality of life and nutrition, and potentially reducing hospital visits and healthcare costs. The alfapump DirectLink Technology allows clinicians to receive pump performance information and more effectively manage patients treated by the alfapump.
 
Sequana Medical’s Direct Sodium Removal (DSR) therapy is in development for the management of fluid overload in heart failure. Data from animal studies show DSR therapy to be both effective and safe. Treatment of fluid overload in diuretic-resistant patients is a major clinical challenge. There are an estimated 1 million U.S. hospitalizations due to heart failure each year, of which 90 percent are due to fluid overload. The estimated cost of heart failure-related U.S. hospitalizations is $13 billion.