When Joe Kiani puts his weight behind a company, the health technology sector tends to take notice. The founder of Masimo and a figure long associated with advancing patient safety, Kiani has now turned his attention to a space that has been crying out for innovation: extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or ECMO.
Last month, CDX Medical Technologies announced the close of its $2.5 million Series A funding round, led by Kiani with support from industry executives and the company's board. Alongside the investment, Kiani joined CDX's Board of Directors, bringing not only capital but decades of experience steering medical devices from concept to global adoption.
Why ECMO Needs a Rethink
ECMO has long been a critical tool in intensive care units, serving as a lifesaving measure for patients in severe respiratory failure. Yet, despite its importance, the technology has remained cumbersome, requiring large equipment, specialized staff, and significant hospital resources. For that reason, it is often limited to a small fraction of patients who might benefit.
"ECMO is a lifesaving solution, but today it takes too much from our valued resources and therefore it's only provided to a few," said Kiani. "CDX is revolutionizing ECMO by making it not just small and portable, but by practically automating it."
If successful, CDX's platform could expand access to ECMO worldwide, offering a level of efficiency and portability that could shift the standard of care.
A Strategic Partnership for Growth
For CDX, the backing of someone like Kiani is more than financial.
"Joe brings a wealth of experience and insight into the world of respiratory care and intelligent medical devices," said CDX Co-CEO Dr. Gopal K. Chopra. "His investment and contributions at the Board level will significantly assist the company in creating a new market and disrupting respiratory care to the benefit of patients worldwide."
Co-CEO Rick Smith echoed this sentiment, pointing to Kiani's global perspective and market expertise as crucial assets as CDX moves closer to commercialization.
Clinical Voices Add Weight
The excitement is not confined to the boardroom. Dr. Hugh Cassiere, Director of Critical Care, Cardiac Services at South Shore University Hospital of Northwell Health, and chair of the FDA's Anesthesiology and Respiratory Therapy Devices panel, noted that CDX is entering territory where innovation has been sparse.
"CDX is providing a much-needed innovation where nothing exists," Cassiere said, adding that his hospital is eager to be an early commercial site once the technology is cleared.
From Testing to Market
The funding will enable CDX to complete the rigorous regulatory process required for approval, while also supporting early commercialization and team growth. The company has already built momentum in the field, earning recognition at major industry gatherings—including winning the THT Shark Tank 2024 competition hosted by the Cardiac Research Foundation.
The Takeaway
What makes this significant is the convergence of three forces: a technology with undeniable potential to save lives, a company willing to tackle the complexity of ECMO head-on, and an investor whose track record suggests both vision and execution.
Kiani's involvement signals that ECMO may be on the brink of the kind of disruption other areas of patient monitoring and respiratory care have seen in the past two decades. If CDX succeeds, the impact won't just be felt in hospitals; it could redefine how life-support technologies are delivered worldwide.
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