Dillon, an experienced medical device executive, most recently served as CEO of BioVentrix, a heart failure treatment developer. His appointment follows last week’s naming of Axonics CEO Raymond W. Cohen as board chair at BiVacor.
“Jim’s leadership style, combined with his experience in building high-performance teams as well as expertise in the heart failure field, makes him the ideal person to lead BiVACOR,” Cohen said in a news release. “We are thrilled to have him join as CEO.”
Dillon’s experience includes developing cardiovascular therapies to enable native heart recovery and reduce the size of myocardial infarction. It also extends to repairing adult and congenital cardiac defects and volume management for congestive heart failure patients.
Prior to his time at BioVentrix, Dillon held marketing positions with Abiomed, TherOx and InfraReDx. He now takes over at BiVacor, which develops a total artificial heart (BTAH).
BiVacor received FDA investigational device exemption (IDE) for the artificial heart last month. It plans to conduct a first-in-human clinical feasibility study evaluating the use of the system as a bridge to heart transplant in subjects with biventricular heart failure. The company expects to initially enroll three patients at the Texas Heart Institute in Houston, beginning in the first half of 2024.
“It’s a privilege to lead the BiVacor team at a pivotal time in the company’s history,” said Dillon. “A total artificial heart (TAH) is unique in its complexity and importance as an advanced treatment option for end-stage biventricular heart failure patients. The BiVacor TAH device has the potential to truly revolutionize the field.”
