Regentys Appoints Dr. Steven D. Wexner Chief Medical Officer

MIAMI LAKES, FL – December 7, 2017 – Regentys (formerly Asana Medical, Inc.), a regenerative medicine company developing a novel treatment for Ulcerative Colitis (“UC”), is pleased to announce that it has named Dr. Steven D. Wexner as its Chief Medical Officer (“CMO”).   Dr. Wexner has been a member of the Regentys Medical Advisory Board since January 2014.

Dr. Wexner is the Director of the Digestive Disease Center and Chairman of the Department of Colorectal Surgery at Cleveland Clinic Florida.  He previously served as Chief Academic Officer (2007-2012), Chief of Staff (1997-2007), and Chairman of the Division of Research and Education (1996-2007) at Cleveland Clinic Florida.

“Current therapeutic alternatives for patients with mucosal ulcerative colitis include potentially toxic medications and potentially morbid surgical procedures,” Dr. Wexner said. “The possibility of obviating the need for implementation of these treatment strategies by an application of regeneration of healthy mucosa is highly intriguing.  Based upon preliminary work I am optimistic that a clinical trial might potentially demonstrate such benefits”, added Wexner.

“We are excited to have Dr. Wexner join the team.  We believe that our patented drug-free, non-surgical regenerative medicine technology, ECMH™, will offer a new and better approach for the treatment of ulcerative colitis. Dr. Wexner’s colorectal surgery expertise will allow us to quickly evaluate ECMH™ in a number of exploratory gastrointestinal surgical procedures”, stated Brian Andersen, Regentys Chief Business Officer. 

Dr. Wexner holds academic appointments at many universities internationally.  In 1999, he was awarded a Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) of Scotland.  In 2008, the Council of the RCS of England recognized him with its highest distinction by unanimous election.  He is an honorary fellow of numerous other prestigious organizations around the world including the European Surgical Association, the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland, the European Society of Coloproctology, and the Colorectal Surgical Society of Australia and New Zealand. He has been President of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, the American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery, the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons, and other organizations. He has served as Governor and Chairman of the Advisory Council for Colon and Rectal Surgery to the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and as a Board member of the ACS Political Action Committee.  In 2012, Dr. Wexner was elected to the ACS Board of Regents.

Dr. Wexner was the first surgeon in the USA to publish the study of the colonic J-pouch for rectal cancer. His role in conducting seminal research on this procedure has contributed to its current application as a standard of care for patients with rectal carcinoma. Through innovation and research, he has also contributed significantly to the advancement of laparoscopy for patients with colon cancer and rectal cancer. He has published over 680 manuscripts, 249 textbook chapters, and 125 editorial- and invited commentaries. He serves as editor or co-editor of 33 textbooks or freestanding volumes, a member of over 50 past or present editorial boards, and a reviewer for another 35 journals.

Dr. Wexner has received 11 international, national, and regional awards for his research and is Symposium Director of the Annual International Colorectal Disease Symposium held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida--the largest international colorectal course in the US.  He also trains many surgeons each year in laparoscopic colorectal surgery, surgical oncology, and the surgical management of inflammatory bowel disease. In this capacity, he has been host educator to thousands of surgeons from around the world. 

Dr. Wexner received his Doctorate Degree from Cornell University Medical School (1982), Residency, General Surgery at Roosevelt Hospital (1982-87) and Fellowship, Colorectal Surgery at the University of Minnesota Medical School (1987-88).

For Dr. Wexner’s complete biography, please visit: https://www.regentys.com/about/leadership/