Brisbane, Australia-based Oventus Medical Ltd, which makes a combination mandibular advancement device (MAD)-expiratory positive airway pressure (EPAP) device (EPAP add-on in late-stage development), has created a medical technology advisory board of sleep experts to help guide the development and commercialization of the company’s O2Vent product line.

Reporting to CEO, Chris Hart, MPhil, BSc, BDSc, the board will be a US-based consultative advisory body that provides input and guidance into Oventus’ clinical, developmental, and commercial strategy, focused on introducing Oventus’ products to the sleep channel in the United States. Members of the board have been appointed with a 3-year term, renewable by mutual agreement.

The board is composed of the following leading sleep physicians and advisors in the United States, Oventus’ key market for roll-out:

  • Lee A. Surkin, MD, FAASM
  • Richard K. Bogan, MD, FCCP, FAASM
  • Jerry Kram, MD, FAASM
  • Mark Hickey, MD, FAASM
  • Mark A. Rasmus, MD, FAASM
  • Daniel B. Brown, Esq
  • Myra G. Brown

Hart says in a release, “We are delighted to have attracted such a respected group of sleep experts to join this inaugural Medical Technology Advisory Board, particularly given Oventus’ strong focus on establishing the market for our products within the United States’ sleep medicine channel. The formation of this board will help drive forward the clear potential of our sleep treatment platform. These professionals bring a strong mix of skills—they understand the complex business, legal, and regulatory frameworks; provide clinical expertise through the supply chain and will help us ensure focus on the delivery of personalised patient care.”

Board member Surkin, a boarded cardiologist and sleep physician and chief medical officer of N3Sleep, says, “I have frequently sent patients to my colleague in dental sleep medicine for an oral appliance therapy to help stablize the mandible and open the airway, which very often results in reduced CPAP pressure requirements and therefore translates into improved adherence and improved treatment and outcomes. If an oral appliance is as effective as CPAP is, I would say ‘ball game over’ because of the significantly improved compliance with oral appliance therapy and obviously, if it’s as efficacious as CPAP, you have solved the problem.”