Interesting chess play here with David McQuillan moving from the PolyNovo Board, where he’s been a Director since 2012, to the position of PolyNovo’s Chief Technical and Scientific Officer.
The last time David McQuillan acted as a Chief Scientific Officer was with Tela bio from 2013 to 2015. McQuillan was not just CSO at Tela, some sources indicate that he was one of the co-founders.
Tela bio is the distributor of Aroa’s Ovitex hernia and breast products in the United States. Tela exclusively sells Aroa’s Ovitex products (it pays 27% of net sales to Aroa) and is said to have developed the Ovitex products together with Aroa.
The Ovitex products, like Aroa’s other products, are based on sheep rumen. To provide the required strength of these tissue reinforcement products, the biologic is interwoven with either permanent or resorbable polymer fibres using a patented “corner-lock” diamond embroidery construction. The resulting product is 95% biologic/5% polymer.
Tela’s intended launch of Ovitex into the US market in 2016 was challenged by LifeCell, the manufacturer of Strattice, then the leading hernia product in the United States. Strattice is a 100% biologic mesh (porcine) designed to integrate into the body’s tissue. Lifecell claimed that Tela had infringed its IP. The case was subsequently settled, leaving Tela free to launch Ovitex into the US market.
In addition to the IP challenge, LifeCell sued Tela for unjust competition after 20 employees followed its ex-VP of R & D, David McQuillan, across to Tela.
Lifecell, also manufacturer of Alloderm, was ultimately acquired by Allergan. Allergan was swallowed in turn by AbbVie and Lifecell's KCI division, of which McQuillan was Senior VP of Advanced Research and Technology, was acquired by US giant, 3M. Among other products, KCI sells Promogran products, which were originally developed and marketed by J & J. Promogran is indicated for the treatment of DFUs and VLUs.
Today’s announcement didn’t cause the market to bat an eyelid, but I would think it might have that effect within the industry.
https://hotcopper.com.au/threads/cat-among-the-pigeons.2609903/?post_id=16123239
https://hotcopper.com.au/threads/hernia-application.2585905/?post_id=15911893
https://hotcopper.com.au/threads/lifecells-acquisition.3208034/?post_id=22398623
(20min delay)