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SANUWAVE is an emerging leader in the development and commercialization of noninvasive, biological response activating devices in the regenerative medicine area for the repair and regeneration of tissue, musculoskeletal, and vascular structures. SANUWAVE’s portfolio of products and product candidates activate biologic signaling and angiogenic responses, including revascularization and microcirculatory improvement, helping restore the body's normal healing processes and regeneration. In this month’s CEO Spotlight, meet SANUWAVE’s CEO, Chris Cashman, who provides a look inside the day in the life of a C-Level Executive as well as an in-depth interview about the company’s perpetual success and what opportunities are on the horizon.

Q: SANUWAVE Health is an emerging leader in the development and commercialization of noninvasive biological response activating devices in the regenerative medicine area for the repair and regeneration of tissue, musculoskeletal, and vascular structures. As the CEO, what do you feel our readers should know first and foremost about your company?
  A: SANUWAVE utilizes high-energy pressure waves delivered in the shock wave spectrum. The shock waves elicit a biological response, resulting in the release of angiogenic growth factors and ultimately new blood vessel formation. This process helps the body get back to a normal healing response for tissue or bone regeneration. The SANUWAVE platform was formed in August of 2005. We have an intellectual property portfolio of 50-plus patents and applications worldwide.
  We’re really focused in four areas today: advanced wound care, orthopedic/spine, plastic and cosmetic and cardiac uses. Our major focus is in our lead product, dermaPACE®. dermaPACE® is addressing the advanced wound care market, which we define as about a $5 billion opportunity in the U.S. dermaPACE® is already approved in Europe with the European Community’s CE mark. We are currently pursuing our first clinical indication in the U.S. for diabetic foot ulcers (DFU), for which we have completed enrollment in our 206-patient, pivotal Phase III, randomized, double-blinded, sham-controlled Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) clinical trial and submitted our first 2 of 3 modules of the PMA application to the FDA. We are preparing for the final clinical module submission.
We have had a longstanding history in orthopedics, with two FDA Class III-approved indications, one for heel pain and one for elbow pain. PACE™ shockwaves have had a terrific safety profile over the years. Once I became involved, we built on this legacy and know-how with the development of next-generation devices for advanced wound care and orthopedics, and have expanded our recent development into plastic and cosmetic procedures as well as cardiac, for which we just filed some new, provisional patents for methods to break up plaque and increase vascularity in compromised heart muscle.

Q: Please describe your work experience that prepared you for your current position as SANUWAVE’s CEO:
  A: I joined SANUWAVE as a member of the board of directors and as President and Chief Executive Officer in December 2005. Prior to this position, I served as President of Therapeutic Surfaces for Kinetic Concepts, Inc, a global leader in advanced wound care. I conducted a management buyout in November 2001 of Snowden Pencer, a minimally invasive surgical device manufacturer, and assumed the role of CEO and President. In March 2004, Snowden Pencer was sold to Cardinal Health.