Apnex Medical, a developer of medical device treatments for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), has appointed Charles (Chas) McKhann as president and CEO, effective immediately.

Apnex Medical said that Mr McKhann has extensive experience in healthcare, especially medical devices. Prior to joining Apnex, he was worldwide vice president of marketing for the cardiac rhythm management division of Boston Scientific.

Mr McKhann had previously worked at Cordis, a Johnson & Johnson company, where he was instrumental in the worldwide launch of the Cypher Sirolimus-eluting Coronary Stent, the first drug eluting stent on the market. Prior to these positions, he worked as a consultant in the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Products practice of McKinsey & Company.

Mr McKhann said: “Apnex Medical is poised to have a tremendous, positive impact on the lives of patients with OSA, and I’m pleased to be joining this dynamic team.

“Initial clinical results for the Apnex Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation (HGNS) therapy, which were presented recently at the annual meeting of the American Thoracic Society, continue to give us confidence that we are on the right track with a new treatment for OSA that has the potential to be safe, effective, and well-tolerated by patients, allowing them to sleep better and live healthier lives.”

Mike Berman, chairman of Apnex Medical, said: “In this dynamic healthcare environment, successfully bringing novel therapies to market requires strong leadership. Chas continues this tradition at Apnex and brings a comprehensive vision for the technical, clinical, and commercial activities that will be required to deliver a successful therapy for patients who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea.”