10.14.15
Cardica Inc. has named Julian Nikolchev as president, CEO and a member of the company’s board of directors, effective Oct. 15. Nikolchev succeeds Bernard A. Hausen, M.D., Ph.D., who co-founded Cardica and served as president and CEO since 2000. Hausen announced that he was stepping down from his positions in August 2015.
The publicly traded company designs and manufactures proprietary stapling and anastomotic devices for cardiac and laparoscopic surgical procedures. Cardica’s technology portfolio is intended to reduce operating time and facilitate minimally invasive and robot-assisted surgeries. Cardica’s MicroCutter XChange 30, a cartridge-based articulating surgical stapling device with a 5-millimeter shaft diameter, is manufactured and cleared for use in a variety of gastrointestinal procedures and appendectomies in the United States, and for a wide range of surgical procedures in Europe. In addition, Cardica makes automated anastomosis systems, the C-Port Distal Anastomosis Systems and PAS-Port Proximal Anastomosis System for coronary artery bypass graft surgery.
“Julian brings extensive experience leading medical device companies from development through commercialization, establishing brands in the marketplace and ultimately achieving commercial and strategic goals,” said Gary Petersmeyer, chairman of the board of directors for Cardica, based in Redwood City, Calif. “His broad knowledge of the medical device market adds to his deep technical understanding and appreciation of the engineering necessary to maximize the potential for the MicroCutter XChange 30 and future products.”
Nikolchev brings more than 30 years of medical device experience to Cardica. Previously, he served as founder, CEO and chief technology officer of Pivot Medical (now part of Stryker Sports Medicine), where he directed the transition from development enterprise to a full commercial organization. He joined Pivot Medical while serving as a venture partner at Frazier Healthcare Ventures. Before Frazier, he served as founder, president and CEO of CardioMind Inc. (sold to Biosensors International) and previously as president and CEO of ProDuct Health (sold to Cytyc Corporation). Prior to ProDuct Health, he served as manager of the new venture group at Target Therapeutics Inc., where he subsequently founded Conceptus Inc. (sold to Bayer AG in 2014) and served as founder and chief technology officer for many years.
Prior to his tenure leading medical device companies, Nikolchev served in a variety of escalating management positions within engineering organizations. He holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in mechanical engineering from Stanford University (California) and a M.S. degree in management of technology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is the author of numerous papers on technology commercialization and new technology development, and an inventor and co-inventor on more than 35 issued or pending patents.
The publicly traded company designs and manufactures proprietary stapling and anastomotic devices for cardiac and laparoscopic surgical procedures. Cardica’s technology portfolio is intended to reduce operating time and facilitate minimally invasive and robot-assisted surgeries. Cardica’s MicroCutter XChange 30, a cartridge-based articulating surgical stapling device with a 5-millimeter shaft diameter, is manufactured and cleared for use in a variety of gastrointestinal procedures and appendectomies in the United States, and for a wide range of surgical procedures in Europe. In addition, Cardica makes automated anastomosis systems, the C-Port Distal Anastomosis Systems and PAS-Port Proximal Anastomosis System for coronary artery bypass graft surgery.
“Julian brings extensive experience leading medical device companies from development through commercialization, establishing brands in the marketplace and ultimately achieving commercial and strategic goals,” said Gary Petersmeyer, chairman of the board of directors for Cardica, based in Redwood City, Calif. “His broad knowledge of the medical device market adds to his deep technical understanding and appreciation of the engineering necessary to maximize the potential for the MicroCutter XChange 30 and future products.”
Nikolchev brings more than 30 years of medical device experience to Cardica. Previously, he served as founder, CEO and chief technology officer of Pivot Medical (now part of Stryker Sports Medicine), where he directed the transition from development enterprise to a full commercial organization. He joined Pivot Medical while serving as a venture partner at Frazier Healthcare Ventures. Before Frazier, he served as founder, president and CEO of CardioMind Inc. (sold to Biosensors International) and previously as president and CEO of ProDuct Health (sold to Cytyc Corporation). Prior to ProDuct Health, he served as manager of the new venture group at Target Therapeutics Inc., where he subsequently founded Conceptus Inc. (sold to Bayer AG in 2014) and served as founder and chief technology officer for many years.
Prior to his tenure leading medical device companies, Nikolchev served in a variety of escalating management positions within engineering organizations. He holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in mechanical engineering from Stanford University (California) and a M.S. degree in management of technology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is the author of numerous papers on technology commercialization and new technology development, and an inventor and co-inventor on more than 35 issued or pending patents.