Pharmaceutical Industry Executive Brian W. Andersen Named Chief Business Officer

MIAMI LAKES, FL – April 18, 2017 — Asana Medical, Inc., (“Asana,” the “Company”), a regenerative medicine company that is developing a novel treatment for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (“IBD”), including Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease, is pleased to announce that Brian W. Andersen, an experienced industry executive with a proven record of commercial excellence, has been appointed as its Chief Business Officer.

Mr. Andersen brings to Asana an impressive track record in sales and marketing leadership.  Over the past fifteen years, he has launched several new products and revitalized existing products; created specialty pharmacy distribution networks; and generated/executed tactical medical marketing campaigns.  As a member of the Executive team, Mr. Andersen will assist with the strategic build-out of the Asana business model and market delivery options for the Company’s patented non-surgical hydrogel therapy product, ECMH™, currently being developed for the treatment of IBD.  Mr. Andersen will also be instrumental in developing and executing the Company’s commercialization and reimbursement plans. 

“I am very excited to join Asana and to work with Dr. Christine V. Sapan and her Executive team, but also with Asana’s distinguished roster of medical advisors,” stated Mr. Andersen.  “Asana’s consistent approach of providing a treatment for IBD patients that repairs and regenerates the diseased tissue, allowing the clinical symptoms to improve, continues to receive support among recent literature and biomedical reports,” added Mr. Andersen.

Prior to joining Asana, Mr. Andersen was the General Manager and Group Vice President of the Orphan Business Unit at Horizon Pharma which he joined in September 2014, through its acquisition of Vidara Therapeutics.  While at Horizon, Brian led the integration of Vidara Therapeutics into the newly created Orphan Business Unit at Horizon, as well as the integration of Hyperion Therapeutics, which Horizon bought in March of 2015. 

Previous to Horizon Pharma, Brian was co-founder and Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Vidara Therapeutics.  At Vidara, he was responsible for the relaunch of ACTIMMUNE^® for Chronic Granulomatous Disease (CGD) and severe, malignant osteoporosis (SMO), two ultra-orphan disease states.   He was also responsible for all aspects of the commercialization effort, including the establishment of a specialty pharmacy distribution network; the creation of COMPASS^TM, a high-touch patient reimbursement and support center; creation of the marketing plan; and hiring of the sales team.   Prior to Vidara, Mr. Andersen led the marketing teams at Lundbeck, Inc. (formerly Ovation) and EKR Therapeutics, where he was responsible for the successful turnaround of PANHEMATIN^®, the introduction of the CARDENE^® IV Ready-to-Use Bag, and led sales training teams through the launch of SABRIL^®.   As Regional Business Manager with PDL BioPharma/ESP Pharma, he was responsible for managing sales teams in eight states, calling on hospitals.

Mr. Andersen holds a BS in biology from the University of Illinois and an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.