Shields joins Versa after 15 years with Medtronic’s structural heart business. Most recently, Shields was VP and GM of Medtronic’s Transcatheter Mitral and Tricuspid Therapies business. He spent seven years in the transcatheter mitral and tricuspid segment leading product development and multiple clinical studies.
In earlier roles at Medtronic, Shields led upstream and downstream marketing for its transcatheter programs. Before Medtronic, he was a senior engineer with Stryker.
Former Versa CEO David Hovda is retiring and will remain an advisor to the company, Versa said.
“I am thrilled to join Versa Vascular at a time when we are seeing positive results clinically, close to expanding our clinical work to the U.S., and receiving continued investor confidence,” Shields said in a news release.
“I have seen and launched a number of innovative transcatheter devices in my career, and the AdapTR technology shows similar promise to create a superior therapy for patients,” he said. “I want to thank David Hovda and the team for their commitment to product development and refinement that has led to a truly novel solution that is showing it can have a positive impact on patients’ lives.”
Versa expanded its Series C funding by $15 million today, rounding out total committed capital for the round to $42 million. The additional funding will support the ongoing first-in-human clinical study for AdapTR outside of the U.S., a U.S. early feasibility study and further product development, the company said.
“We strongly believe in Versa’s vision to improve the lives of patients with tricuspid disease, and we are proud to continue supporting the company as it executes on its clinical milestones,” S3 Ventures Founder and Managing Director Brian R. Smith.
