Access Vascular Expands Board of Directors and Engineering Team

BEDFORD, Mass., April 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Access Vascular, Inc., a medical device start-up focused on the development and commercialization of innovative venous access devices that incorporate our novel bulk hydrophilic biomaterial, today announced the addition of two members to the board of directors. Access Vascular also announced today that Elizabeth Kinnal has joined as Senior Regulatory Affairs and Quality Engineer.

Joining original board members James Biggins, founder and President of Access Vascular and Paul Sabin, principal of Fikst, are Joseph P. (JJ) Pellegrino, Jr., CFO and board member at LeMaitre Vascular and Brent Ratz, founding CEO of CardiAQ Valve Technologies and currently Vice President, Research and Development, TMVR, at Edwards Lifesciences. 

In her role as Senior Regulatory Affairs and Quality Engineer, Liz Kinnal will establish and lead execution of a Quality Management System and develop the company's regulatory and clinical strategy, including directing and coordinating US and OUS regulatory submissions.

"We are delighted to welcome JJ Pellegrino and Brent Ratz to the board of directors. They both bring a wealth of experience and knowledge in the medical device industry, with strong track records in design, product development, finance, investments and regulatory affairs. Working closely with Paul Sabin and me, I am confident that they will each make important contributions to our success, and thank them for their counsel and guidance at this important time for our company," said James Biggins, founder and president, Access Vascular, Inc. "We are also pleased to welcome Liz Kinnal to our engineering team. Her skills and experience in quality and regulatory will be critical in helping focus the efforts of the team, as we shift the project from research to development in preparation for key regulatory milestones in the coming months."

Joseph P. Pellegrino, Jr. joined LeMaitre Vascular in 2005 and has served as Chief Financial Officer since 2007. Previously, Mr. Pellegrino served as an investment banking analyst at Lehman Brothers, as part of their mergers and acquisitions group.

Brent Ratz founded CardiAQ Valve Technologies with a cardiac surgeon to develop the first system for transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR). Over the course of his nine-year tenure, he led the company's successful financing and regulatory submissions. The company was acquired by Edwards Lifesciences in 2015.

Liz Kinnal is an experienced quality engineer, previously working at sister companies 480 Biomedical and Arsenal Medical, as well as Ocular Therapeutix, where she successfully led teams developing regulatory submissions in the US and UK. She earned a bachelor of science degree in Biomedical Engineering with a concentration in Bioinstrumentation from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. 

About Access Vascular
Access Vascular was founded in 2015 to reinvent venous access with devices that leverage our proprietary bulk hydrophilic biomaterial to improve care, decrease complications and reduce costs. Our technology can be used in a range of clinical settings. Initially focused on launching our HydroPICC device, a peripherally inserted central catheter with superior material performance that will address a critical unmet need for devices that lower thrombotic risk and adverse events, we are also in the early stages of development of hemodialysis, implantable ports and drug delivery devices. More information is available at www.accessvascularinc.com.

Photo available here.

Media Contact:
Helen Shik    
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SOURCE Access Vascular, Inc.