Misgav, Israel – 2 January 2018 –ApiFix Ltd. (“ApiFix”), a portfolio company of The Trendlines Group Ltd. (“Trendlines”) (SGX: 42T; OTCQX: TRNLY), announced the appointment of Ed Roschakas Chairman of the Board of ApiFix and Paul Mraz as President and CEO of ApiFix. ApiFix provides minimally invasive non-fusion solutions for the treatment of spinal scoliosis.
Mr. Roschak served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Ellipse Technologies, Inc. from 2011 until 2016, when it was acquired by NuVasive, Inc. for US$410 million. Ellipse Technologies developed a magnetic growth rod technology for treating early onset scoliosis of the spine and for limb lengthening procedures. Mr. Mraz brings 25+ years of spine and orthopedic medical device experience to ApiFix, having worked as CEO and in other senior positions in U.S.- and Israel-based companies. Mr. Mraz’s experience includes executive management (14 years as CEO), corporate strategy, product development and marketing, sales management, and business development – all on a global
basis. Previously, Mr. Mraz served as managing partner of business strategy and leadership consulting firm OnPoint Advisors, which he founded in 2013. From 2006 to 2013, Mr. Mraz served as president and CEO of medical device and biologics company Cerapedics, Inc., which developed and is now commercializing biologic bone grafting products for the spine and orthopedic markets.
Todd Dollinger, CEO and Chairman of Trendlines and outgoing ApiFix chairman, commented, “We believe the deep experiences Ed and Paul bring make them ideal to take ApiFix to the next level and we are excited to welcome them on board. Trendlines is extremely proud of ApiFix’s achievements to date and we’re confident that the combined efforts of Ed and Paul will be instrumental in realizing ApiFix’s strategic focus on the U.S. and European markets as ApiFix finalizes its application for FDA clearance.” Dollinger cited Roschak’s substantial work in every aspect of building a scoliosis treatment company as key reasons ApiFix sought to bring him in as Chairman of the ApiFix Board. Similarly, Mraz has extensive leadership experience bringing innovative spine technologies to market for the benefit of patients and all stakeholders. With
ApiFix’s U.S. market entry plans in process, Mraz will establish ApiFix’s U.S. headquarters in the Boston, Massachusetts USA area. R&D and manufacturing activities will remain in Israel under the leadership of ApiFix’s co-founder and CTO, Uri Arnin.
The ApiFix system is a disruptive platform technology with its less invasive, non-fusion scoliosis correction system implanted in a short procedure that maintains spine flexibility and requires only a brief recovery period. The ApiFix system has CE Mark certification and is available in Europe and Canada.
The ApiFix Board of Directors expresses its deep gratitude to Eran Feldhay, M.D., for his contributions as CEO. Dr. Feldhay’s leadership brought ApiFix through critical commercialization milestones positioning it well for this next evolution.
About The Trendlines Group Ltd.
Trendlines is an innovation commercialization company that invents, discovers, invests in, and incubates innovation-based medical and agricultural technologies to fulfill its mission to improve the human condition. As intensely hands-on investors, Trendlines is involved in all aspects of its portfolio companies from technology development to business building. Trendlines’ shares are traded on the Singapore Stock Exchange (SGX: 42T) and in the United States as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR) on the OTCQX (OTCQX: TRNLY).
About ApiFix Ltd.
ApiFix is a privately held, innovation-driven, medical device company developing a non-fusion platform technology for the less invasive surgical correction of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) and early onset scoliosis (EOS). ApiFix is led by a team of highly-regarded spine surgeons and spine industry veterans.