Dialysis provider Fresenius Medical Care has created a new global medical office that will head up its work in clinical science and coordinate knowledge and practice sharing across the company’s global network of clinics.
To lead it, the company has named Frank Maddux as its global chief medical officer, as well as Robert Kossmann to serve as CMO for North America. In addition, Fresenius Kidney Care CMO Jeffrey Hymes will expand his role, taking on the title of senior VP for clinical and scientific affairs at Fresenius Medical Care North America.
"Delivering on our commitment to improve the quality of life of people living with kidney disease, Dr. Maddux and his team will pursue evolving medical opportunities, such as a more focused home offering,” Bill Valle, CEO of Fresenius Medical Care North America, said in a statement.
Maddux has worked at Fresenius since 2009, previously as its North American CMO and executive VP for clinical & scientific affairs. Kossmann, meanwhile, joined in 2014, and has helped oversee clinical R&D and product distribution across Fresenius’ North American operations.
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On the development side, Fresenius’ North American renal therapies group recently received a breakthrough device designation from the FDA for control software that will enable hemodialysis machines to provide personalized recommendations for fluid management, while monitoring a patient’s relative blood volume during procedures.
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The company also recently completed its $2 billion acquisition of NxStage Medical, which was first announced in August 2017.
NxStage maintains a portfolio of medical devices for use in both home dialysis and critical care. Fresenius said it aims to leverage its manufacturing, supply chain and marketing base to bring the combined products and services to a variety of care settings.
“The closing of this transaction is an important milestone in enhancing our patients’ choice of dialysis treatment modality,” said Fresenius Medical Care CEO Rice Powell.
“By combining NxStage’s capabilities with our broad product and service offering, we can help patients to live even more independently,” Powell said. “In addition to broadening our product portfolio, this acquisition positions Fresenius Medical Care to benefit from the growing trend toward home-based therapies.”