NeoChord, Inc. Appoints New Chief Executive Officer to Lead Commercialization Efforts and Study Novel First-Line Therapy for Mitral Valve Regurgitation

MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ --  NeoChord is a privately held, medical technology company and the world-leader in beating heart delivery of artificial chords in the treatment of mitral valve regurgitation. The company appointed Todd Berg as Chief Executive Officer to oversee clinical and commercial programs for transeptal and transapical repair of damaged mitral valve chords resulting in regurgitation.

Berg most recently served as CEO of Metavention, an intravascular denervation company which pioneered multi-organ denervation for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Previously, Berg was CEO of Torax Medical which developed magnetic augmentation for the treatment of gastro-esophageal reflux disease and was acquired by Ethicon, a division of Johnson & Johnson. Berg has over 30 years of experience successfully developing and commercializing novel medical therapies and holds over 100 U.S. patents.

"One of the most significant clinical gaps in structural heart innovation is providing patients a treatment option to address mitral regurgitation before the disease progresses to stages where the heart becomes damaged. The opportunity to develop a first-line therapy for mitral valve disease, by resolving regurgitation early in the disease state, is incredibly compelling," said Berg.

Casey Tansey, General Partner with U.S Venture Partners, commented "NeoChord's long-term commitment to advancing the treatment of mitral regurgitation, since its founding from the Mayo Clinic, has established a strong foundation of clinical success and commitment to patient benefit. We are confident Berg, and his new management team, will expand this foundation into a new era of innovation by adding a minimally invasive transseptal approach to complement the company's commercially successful transapical repair products."

About Mitral Valve Regurgitation

Degenerative mitral valve disease is the third most common cardiovascular disease in both Europe and the United States. The prevalence of severe mitral valve regurgitation is estimated at 3-5M patients but less than 3% of these patients are receiving proper treatment due to the invasiveness of arrested, open-heart surgery. Degenerative mitral valve disease is the most common cause of mitral regurgitation with a main etiology of leaflet prolapse due to elongated or ruptured chordal support. The mitral valve chords are the primary physiologic support mechanism that prevents the leaflet prolapse which results in regurgitation. The ideal therapy for patients with degenerative mitral valve regurgitation is early intervention to restore normal chordae function. Minimally invasive delivery of neochordae allows the most physiologic restoration of regurgitation without limiting any future valve treatment options.

About NeoChord

NeoChord is the world leader in beating heart mitral valve chordal repair with a portfolio of commercial and clinical product technologies. The DS1000 transapical (TA) chord repair system is commercially marketed in Europe and has been used to place more than 5,000 successful neochordae in over 2,000 patients. NeXus is a transseptal (TS) chord repair system that incorporates the same proprietary suture-based anchor elements proven in the DS1000 experience and is currently in feasibility clinical trials.

For more information, please visit www.neochord.com

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2344969/NeoChord_Logo.jpg