The ReNerve Story
CLEANER. SAFER. BETTER.
ABOUT RENERVE
ReNerve Limited specializes in the development of novel products to transform the repair and regeneration of damaged nerves and related soft tissue repairs. ReNerve has an ambitious goal to create unique nerve repair material combinations to address the most unmet need for large nerve gap replacements.
ReNerve has established laboratories in Melbourne, Australia and also works closely with researchers in one of Australia’s premier biomaterials precincts at the CSIRO / Monash University. Here we engage cutting edge technologies via collaborations with researchers and other industry partners to develop the products that will improve the lives of patients.
History
ReNerve was established through the joining of minds, a neurosurgeon, material researchers with a background in biochemistry and physiology as well as the team at CSIRO polymer science division. The company is focused on developing products that accelerate tissue regeneration while preventing scarring and negative inflammatory responses. The company’s lead programs are focused on peripheral nerve repair; however, have the potential for application beyond peripheral nerve repair.
Corporate Profile
ReNerve is a medical device company developing tissue-based products for peripheral nerve repair and replacement and, other related soft tissue surgical procedures. The company is focused on improving outcomes for patients by creating the ideal healing environment for soft tissue repairs and the related regeneration.
RENERVE LEADERSHIP TEAM
Dr Julian Chick – Director
Dr Julian Chick is an experienced healthcare executive with over 20 years’ experience in senior management including in ASX listed companies Avexa and Admedus. His roles have included Chief Executive Officer, COO and Head of Business Development, as well as running early and late stage R&D projects and launching medical devices into the global markets. Dr Chick’s experience includes developing and obtaining FDA USA clearance for four tissue based medical devices. Dr Chick while COO at Admedus Ltd was involved in the R&D development, regulatory approval and launch of several tissue products in North America, Europe and Asia. He has eight years’ investment banker experience and has also held a role as an analyst reviewing healthcare and biotechnology investment opportunities for private equity investors and venture capitalists. Julian has a PhD in Muscle Physiology.
Dr David Rhodes – Director & CSO
Dr David Rhodes has more than 20 years’ experience in healthcare and biotechnology industries, where he has held numerous senior management roles and developed technologies through to market approval. This includes experience obtaining several FDA USA and European marketing authorisation approvals for medical devices. Previous roles include senior researcher at Amrad, Chief Scientific Officer of the medical devices company Admedus Ltd, COO of AdAlta Ltd and senior executive and Head of Drug Discovery and Senior Vice President Biology at Avexa Ltd. Amrad, AdAlta Admedus and Avexa are all ASX listed companies. Dr Rhodes has successfully led multiple technology development programs attracting significant levels of funding from many State and Federal Government initiatives and research institute programs. He publishes in high impact peer reviewed journals and is an inventor on numerous patents. David is a visiting scientist at CSIRO, is an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Faculty of Engineering at Monash University and a member of the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute Leadership Advisory Board. David has a PhD in Biochemistry.
Mr Reginald Stephen Cooper – Independent Chairman
Stephen Cooper is a managing director of Grant Samuel, a leading independent Australian investment banking business. Stephen has over twenty-five years of experience in investment banking and has been responsible for numerous corporate advisory assignments including public company takeovers, mergers, business sales and acquisitions, schemes of arrangement, capital raisings and business valuations. He has served as the chairman of an ASX-listed biotechnology company Avexa.
Dr Michael Panaccio – Independent Non-executive Director
Dr Michael Panaccio is one of the founders of Starfish Ventures, a venture capital firm that invests in early stage technology companies and plays an active role in the management of its portfolio. Michael has been a director of numerous technology businesses in Australia and the USA including SIRTeX Medical Ltd, Engana Pty Ltd (now part of Finisar Corporation), Energy Response (sold to EnerNoc Inc), ImpediMed Ltd, and Protagonist Therapeutics Inc. He currently serves on the boards of dorsaVi Ltd, Armaron Bio Ltd and Cylite Pty Ltd. Dr Panaccio will be a non-executive Director. Dr Panaccio is currently a non-executive Director on ASX listed dorsaVi Ltd (ASX:DVL).
Dr Alex Adamides MD FRACS – Chief Medical Officer (CMO)
Dr Alex Adamides studied medicine at the University of Nottingham, UK, and completed his basic surgical training in Edinburgh before undertaking his neurosurgical training in Australia. He became a fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 2012 and has since been a consultant neurosurgeon at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. Dr Adamides is an honorary clinical senior lecturer at Melbourne University and a reviewer for the Journal of Clinical Neuroscience. His current research interests include surgical implants and tissue engineering. Working with Renerve, Dr Adamides has developed pre-clinical models testing the safety and efficacy of surgical implants for the repair of peripheral nerves and dura.
— DR ALEX ADAMIDES —
The team at ReNerve are dedicated to developing products that lead to improved neurological and functional outcomes. We are a science focused, patient centered company.
SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD
Dr Alex Adamides MD FRACS – Chief Medical Officer (CMO)
Dr Alex Adamides studied medicine at the University of Nottingham, UK, and completed his basic surgical training in Edinburgh before undertaking his neurosurgical training in Australia. He became a fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 2012 and has since been a consultant neurosurgeon at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. Dr Adamides is an honorary clinical senior lecturer at Melbourne University and a reviewer for the Journal of Clinical Neuroscience. His current research interests include surgical implants and tissue engineering. Working with ReNerve, Dr Adamides has developed pre-clinical models testing the safety and efficacy of surgical implants for the repair of peripheral nerves and dura.
Dr. Michael Findlay MBBS, PhD, FRACS, FACS
Dr Michael Findlay is a practising Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgeon, with particular expertise in microsurgery and translational stem cell, tissue engineering and biomaterials research. Dr Findlay studied parallel Bachelors of Medicine & Surgery and Science at the University of Queensland and undertook competitive research scholarships over the course of his studies. He is broadly trained in multiple fields of surgery. Following basic Surgical training, Dr Findlay spent 2 years on the Accredited General Surgery Training Program before completing advanced training in Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgery. He spent 3 years at St Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne as a Microsurgery Fellow, working both clinically and in translational microsurgery research. During this time, he developed numerous novel animal models for translational research, completed his PhD in tissue engineered breast reconstruction, and developed significant expertise in stem cells, tissue engineering and biomaterials. He undertook an additional fellowship at the Institute of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery at New York University and was awarded his fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 2008, his PhD in 2009 and fellowship of the American College of Surgeons in 2013. His research led to a patent and the formation of a start-up company for commercialisation of tissue engineered breast reconstruction- NeoPec. Dr Findlay has practiced as a consultant Reconstructive Plastic Surgeon since 2008 and is the recipient of numerous local, national and international awards for his innovative research. These include tier 1 grant funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council. He was also awarded the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship for Victoria in 2012 to undertake research at Stanford University as the inaugural Stanford Applied Regenerative Medicine (SARM) Fellow. While in Stanford, Dr Findlay worked as an Attending surgeon and Clinical Instructor. He also conducted clinical trials of cutting-edge stem cell therapies and helped develop novel biomaterials for clinical use. Dr Findlay returned to Australia in 2016 to pursue his clinical work in cancer surgery and trauma reconstruction while continuing his translational stem cell, tissue engineering and biomaterials research as the Director of the Program for Cellular and Molecular Innovation in Surgery at the University of Melbourne. In 2020 he was appointed as the Director of Australasian Clinical Trials in Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery (ACTPRAS) by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, part of the Clinical Trials network for Australasia and New Zealand. Dr Findlay currently works as a Consultant Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgeon publicly at The Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne- Australia’s quaternary Cancer Hospital, and at The Canberra Hospital where he undertakes a high volume of trauma and cancer reconstruction including microsurgical reconstruction of head and neck, breast and limbs. He works privately within the Epworth Health System and at the National Capital Private Hospital. He continues to pursue translational stem cell, tissue engineering and biomaterials research, focussing on the identification and treatment of acquired deficits in tissue regeneration to improve patient health and facilitate tissue engineering strategies and the integration of new technologies into surgical practice
