MINNEAPOLIS, (January 26, 2023) – Francis Medical, Inc., a privately-held medical device company developing an innovative and proprietary water vapor ablation therapy for the treatment of prostate, kidney, and bladder cancer, today announced the appointment of Andrew Cleeland to the Francis Medical board of directors.
“We are thrilled to welcome Andrew Cleeland to the board,” said André de Bruin, Francis Medical board chair. “Andrew’s rich experience in healthcare innovation and the successful development and deployment of medical technologies will be invaluable to Francis Medical as we look for Vanquish™ to become the first-line treatment of choice for prostate cancer.”
Cleeland is currently CEO of Fogarty Innovation, a global leader in the invention, development, and deployment of new medical technologies. He has held this position since 2017. Before that, he was the vice president and general manager of transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) at Medtronic, a position stemming from the 2015 acquisition of Twelve Inc., where Cleeland had been the president and CEO beginning in 2012. From 2006 to 2012, he served as president and CEO of Ardian, Inc., which was also acquired by Medtronic. Cleeland has also served in leadership roles at Radiant, Baxter, and Telectronics Pacing Systems, and has held board director or chairperson positions for numerous companies, including Zenflow, Medical Microinstruments, Saluda Medical, Medical Device Innovation Consortium, The Foundry, and nVision Medical. He currently serves in an advisory capacity at Arboretum Ventures, Longitude Capital, the UCSF-Stanford Pediatric Device Consortium, and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research in Singapore. Cleeland received his Bachelor of Applied Science, Biophysics degree from the Swinburne Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Australia.
“Andrew will be a welcome addition to an already deeply experienced and talented board,” said Michael Kujak, president and CEO of Francis Medical. “The announcement comes at an exciting time, as we recently received full FDA approval to begin our VAPOR 2 pivotal U.S. clinical study, triggering the release of the second tranche of our $55.0 million Series B equity financing secured in September 2021.”
The VAPOR 2 study will evaluate Francis Medical’s water vapor technology in treating intermediate-risk prostate cancer. As the second most common cancer in U.S. men, the American Cancer Society estimates one in eight American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime. Prostate cancer is a serious disease often treated with therapies that cause complications, such as urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction. Francis Medical’s technology applies the thermal energy stored in a few drops of sterile water to deliver targeted treatments to the cancerous tissue through a simple transurethral procedure. The therapy is designed to ablate cancer cells while protecting surrounding structures, lessening the likelihood of life-altering side effects common with other prostate cancer treatments.
“Francis Medical has a powerfully simple and differentiated technology, supported by an outstanding team,” said Cleeland. “I’m excited to add my knowledge and experience to the group and make a meaningful impact as we strive to bring this transformational technology to urologists and their patients.”
About Francis Medical
Francis Medical is committed to developing urological cancer treatments that are tough on cancer and gentle on patients, with a compassionate belief that minimally invasive therapies can effectively treat cancerous tissue. The company’s foundation is a tribute to and legacy of the inventor’s father, Francis Hoey, who endured prostate cancer treatments that had harsh implications on his everyday life before he died from the disease in 1991. Unfortunately, current prostate cancer treatments, which come with side effects like urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction, are not much different than what Francis Hoey encountered. In contrast, water vapor technology applies the thermal energy stored in sterile water vapor to cancerous tissue via a simple transurethral procedure, potentially minimizing life-altering side effects.
For more information on Francis Medical, visit www.francismedical.com or call (763) 951-0370.
