Respicardia Inc, a medical technology company developing therapies that improve cardiovascular health, announced that the first US commercial case using the remed? System to treat central sleep apnea was completed at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio.It was completed by Ralph Augostini, MD, FACC, FHRS, Bob and Corrine Frick Chair in Cardiac Electrophysiology and associate professor of medicine and co-director of the electrophysiology training program.

The first case coincides with the naming of Peter Sommerness as CEO of Respicardia and leader of the remed? System U.S. launch.

“The remed? System is a breakthrough technology that uniquely treats central sleep apnea while greatly improving a patient’s quality of life,” says Augostini in a release. “I am proud to be a part of the system’s first US commercial case that has the potential to become the standard of care for these patients.”

Central sleep apnea (CSA) is a serious breathing disorder that disrupts the normal breathing pattern during sleep and negatively affects quality of life and overall cardiovascular health. CSA results from the brain’s inability to send appropriate signals to the respiratory muscles to stimulate breathing. The remed? System is clinically proven to safely and effectively treat moderate to severe CSA in adult patients and improve quality of life.

William Abraham, MD, professor of internal medicine and chief of the division of cardiovascular medicine at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, says, “Central sleep apnea is very common in cardiac patients, especially patients with heart failure, and is associated with a significantly greater risk for morbidity and mortality. Being able to treat CSA offers a new hope to improve the quality of life for my patients.”

Respicardia also announces that it has appointed Peter Sommerness as CEO. Sommerness brings 20 years of commercial and operational experience from the electrophysiology and cardiac rhythm management markets. Most recently, Sommerness was a partner at McKinsey and Company, where he was in the global medical device practice, focusing on commercialization strategies, product launches, and operational improvement initiatives. Prior to this, he held the role of general manager and vice president of cardiac electrophysiology at Boston Scientific, where he was responsible for business unit strategy, portfolio, and commercial execution.

“I’m excited to join Respicardia and its seasoned team at such a pivotal moment,” says Sommerness. “With the major milestone of our first US commercial implant, I look forward to building on this momentum in the US market and to bringing this groundbreaking technology to patients suffering from the harmful effects of central sleep apnea.”

The remed? System received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in October of 2017 and is commencing market release of the system in the United States.