Management Team

Successful track record of developing and commercializing innovative and clinically significant healthcare technologies.

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Joseph Virgilio

President and Chief Executive Officer

As President and Chief Executive Officer of Morphic Medical®, Joseph Virgilio brings over 20 years of diverse experience and knowledge to the organization from positions held in the medical device industry in the areas of sales, marketing, operations, and general management. Joe’s track record of aggressive revenue growth results from his ability to develop and execute successful strategic sales and marketing plans in addition to recruiting, training, and motivating highly effective and specialized cross-functional teams. Adept at leading organizational turn-around and integration activities, Joe also has expertise in organizational development and restructuring, corporate partnerships, and distribution strategies.

Prior to joining Morphic Medical in 2020, Joe served as President and General Manager for Amann Girrbach, a global leader in digital dental technology. He has also held the position of Vice President of Sales, The Americas at Surgical Specialties Corporation, as well as Vice President of Sales and Global Marketing at Aptus Endosystems (acquired by Medtronic). Joe spent the early part of his medical device career at Boston Scientific followed by almost a decade at Medtronic in roles of increasing responsibility.

Joe is a graduate of Colgate University and has completed executive education courses at the University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of Business, the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Kenan-Flagler School of Business, and Columbia University Business School.

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Mike Gutteridge

Vice President Therapy Development and Commercial Operations, International

In September 2023 Mike Gutteridge joined Morphic Medical as Vice President of Therapy Development and Commercial Operations for the international market. Mike brings over 29 years of healthcare experience, 23 of which have been within medical devices and has served in numerous leadership roles. Prior to Morphic Medical, Mike served as Vice President of International Sales and Marketing at Apollo Endosurgery and was an officer of the company. Whilst at Apollo, Mike launched Endoscopic Obesity products in over 45 countries outside of the US, with a particular focus on physician education and sales excellence. Mike held several senior leadership positions within Smith and Nephew’s Europe and Canada’s region and at ArthroCare Corp.

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Stephen Linhares

Vice President of Clinical, Regulatory and Quality

Stephen brings over 30 years of experience in development, regulatory, preclinical and clinical operations, quality and resource management with a focus on medical devices.

Prior to joining Morphic Medical, Stephen held the position of vice president of regulatory, clinical affairs and quality assurance at Neograft Technologies Inc. He also held leadership roles at Insulet Corporation, Boston Scientific Corporation Inc., and Phase Forward Inc., as well as vice president roles at PLC Medical Systems.

Stephen brings extensive knowledge of the diabetes disease and medical device space, where he has led 10 clinical trials, multiple CE Mark approvals, and numerous 510(k) clearances. Stephen holds nearly 20 United States and international patents and co-author of two peer-reviewed publications.

Stephen holds a BS in Physics from Bridgewater State College.

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Chris Thierfelder

Chris Thierfelder

Sr. Director, Research & Development

Chris has focused the last 25 years of his career on honing exactly one skillset: driving innovative solutions in the medical device industry. He has predominately worked in the engineering, research and development functions as both a technical and program leader. He has also spent some time as an upstream marketer and a strategic planner.

Prior to joining the Morphic Medical team, Chris ran his own boutique consulting firm, TWC Group, which focused on training leaders to be not only more innovative in their approach, but more authentic in how they lead. Prior to that, Chris held leadership positions at Minnetronix Medical, Avanos Medical, Halyard Health, Kimberly-Clark Healthcare, and Coloplast A/S.

Chris not only brings extensive experience in medical device development, but also experience as a medtech entrepreneur, with multiple successful medtech start-up exits in his history. He has helped launch over 50 devices into the marketplace, is named on over 30 US and Global patents, co-authored a peer-reviewed publication, and contributed an ASTM standard.

He holds degrees in Biomedical Engineering and Business Administration.

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Don Keren

Don Keren

Director of Quality Assurance

Don has been active for 40 years in the Medical Device Quality Assurance area in the development and management of Quality Management Systems, creating value through Quality System excellence, process improvement, and compliance with EU and FDA regulations.

Prior to joining Morphic Medical, Don was Global Quality Systems Manager at Haemonetics, responsible for worldwide Quality Systems, Process Improvement, and compliance. Don has worked for Leica Microsystems, Siemens, and Johnson & Johnson, as well as a long list of start-up firms.

Don brings an extensive knowledge of Lean/Six Sigma methodologies along with expert level knowledge of Medical Device Regulations having achieved CE for several products (including a product he designed), bringing non-compliant companies into regulatory compliance and increasing Quality Systems efficiency and effectivity.

Don holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from U-Mass Amherst.

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Kevin Sarney

Kevin Sarney

Chief Financial Officer

Kevin has more than 20 years of experience in the life science industry, ranging from venture-backed start-ups to publicly traded companies. Kevin is the Life Science Practice Leader at Charles River CFO (CRCFO), a company focused on providing finance support and strategy for life science companies.

Kevin’s professional career began in public accounting at Coopers and Lybrand (now PwC). Kevin has held leadership positions at public biotechnology companies Enumeral Biomedical, Nitromed and private early-stage drug development companies EIP Pharma and Archemix. Kevin has numerous experiences in assisting companies through the public IPO/reverse merger process at Enumeral, Tesaro, Tetraphase, Karyopharm and Genocea.

Kevin earned a B.S. in business management from the University of Hartford, an M.B.A. from Boston University, and an M.A. in accounting from Suffolk University. Kevin is a CPA in Massachusetts.

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Board of Directors

The Morphic Board of Directors is committed to carrying out our mission of improving the lives of people suffering from the global epidemics of type 2 diabetes and obesity through the development and commercialization of breakthrough treatments.

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Mark Lerdal

Chairman

Mark Lerdal brings extensive knowledge and experience as a board director in financial and business development, as well as a proven track record leading multiple mergers and acquisitions.

Mr. Lerdal founded KC Holdings, Inc., a company formed to take KENETECH Corporation private through a management buyout. Mr. Lerdal previously held the position as President and CEO of KENETECH Corporation, one of the world’s largest developer, constructor and operator of wind energy plants.

Mr. Lerdal currently serves as Chairman of the Board for Leaf Clean Energy, Element Markets, LLC and Empower Energies, Inc., and sits on the Board of Directors for Southern Current, Allied Minds, PLC (LSE:ALM), and acts as a consultant to Northleaf Capital Partners. Mr. Lerdal previously served on the Board of Directors to Onsite Energy Corporation, Medley Capital Corporation, Trading Emissions, PLC, TerraForm Power, Inc. and TerraForm Global, Inc.

Mr. Lerdal graduated Cum Laude from Northwestern University School of Law and earned his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Stanford University.

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John Barr

Member of the Board of Directors

John Barr is the former Chairman of the Board for Apollo Endosurgery, now part of Boston Scientific, and former Operating Partner for Altamont Capital Partners, a private equity firm. Prior, Mr. Barr served on the Board of Directors of Valeritas Holdings Inc., a medical technology company focused on the treatment of diabetes. Previous positions include serving as CEO of Surgical Specialties, Inc., a manufacturer of surgical instruments, and President, Global Surgical at Bausch & Lomb Holdings Incorporated, an eye health products company.

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Ginger Glaser

Ginger Glaser

Member of the Board of Directors

Ginger Glaser brings over 25 years of quality and regulatory experience, leading successful medical device organizations, as well as a breadth of knowledge in clinical affairs and engineering. She currently is the Principal for G2 Consulting Services and the Chief Technology Officer for Monteris Medical, where she previously held vice president positions. Ms. Glaser held vice president roles with Boston Scientific and American Medical Systems, prior to its acquisition by Boston Scientific.

Ms. Glaser has a strong understanding of FDA processes and culture. She has led industry-wide task forces and helped numerous organizations obtain global regulatory approvals, including “first in the world” achievements.

Ms. Glaser graduated Cum Laude from Texas A&M University, where she earned her B.S. in Bioengineering and M.S. in Biomedical Engineering.

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Teresa Mattarelli

Member of the Board of Directors

Teresa Mattarelli, is the former Chief Commercial Officer of Perspectum Ltd., a precision health technology company. Previously, Ms. Mattarelli led the Obesity and Metabolic Health and Gynecological Health Business at Medtronic as Global Vice President & General Manager. Prior to Medtronic’s acquisition of Covidien, she held several senior roles and was promoted in 2012 to Vice President and General Manager, Canada for Neurovascular, Surgical, GI, Vascular, Respiratory, Renal Care, Medical Supplies Business. Ms. Mattarelli has extensive commercial and operational experience in a cross section of industries and markets including med-tech, consumer packaged goods, and transportation.

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James Reinstein

James Reinstein

Member of the Board of Directors

James Reinstein is current President and CEO of Conformal Medical. With over three decades of senior leadership, he brings expertise in strategic planning, commercial excellence, and M&A. Before joining Conformal, Mr. Reinstein served as President, CEO, and board member for several other medical device and diagnostic companies including Saranas Inc., Cutera Inc., Drawbridge Health Inc., and Aptus Endosystems. Earlier in his career, Mr. Reinstein was Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer for Cyberonics Inc. (now LivaNova) and worked 17 years at Boston Scientific ultimately being appointed to Vice President, Asia Region. Mr. Reinstein holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration, marketing, from the University of Georgia and Executive Management training from INSEAD in Fontainebleau, France.

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Scientific Advisory Board

Morphic is privileged to have as our scientific advisors a prestigious, multidisciplinary group of leaders dedicated to advancing research for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, obesity and other metabolic disorders.

Endocrinology

David E. Cummings, MD

Endocrinologist, Seattle, WA, U.S.A.

Dr. Cummings is a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition at the University of Washington, based at the Diabetes & Obesity Center of Excellence and the V.A. Puget Sound Health Care System. He studies the hormonal and neurochemical pathways that regulate appetite, body weight and glucose homeostasis by using experiments ranging from bench science to clinical investigation. A major current focus of his research is to elucidate endocrine mechanisms that mediate the profound effects of bariatric/metabolic surgery on diabetes and body weight, as well as to determine the role of surgery in diabetes care through randomized clinical trials.

Dr. Cummings is a summa cum laude graduate of Dartmouth College, where he majored in biochemistry. He obtained his medical degree from Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is a recipient of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers—the highest award conferred by the US government to researchers in their early independent careers.

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Judith Korner, MD, PhD

Endocrinologist, New York, NY, U.S.A.

“Our research has shown there is a need for new treatment options for type 2 diabetes and obesity as we see rates continue to rise throughout the world. Specifically, we have shown that despite significant effort to optimize lifestyle and dietary counseling in conjunction with the utilization of diabetes medication, significant limitations exist that can be addressed with innovative interventional approaches. I am eager to aid in the development of EndoBarrier with GI Dynamics and the SAB as it has shown promising results.”

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Carel le Roux, MD, PhD

Endocrinologist, Dublin, Ireland

Professor Le Roux serves as the head of pathology at the University College Dublin in Ireland. He graduated from medical school in Pretoria, South Africa, where he completed his specialist training in metabolic medicine at St. Bartholomew’s Hospitals and Hammersmith Hospitals. He completed his PhD at Imperial College London and was later promoted to Reader. He received a Clinician Scientist Award from the UK National Institute of Health Research and a Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Fellowship for his work on how the gut communicates with the brain.

Metabolic Surgery​

Ricardo Cohen, MD

Bariatric/Metabolic Surgeon, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Dr. Cohen is the director for the Center for Obesity and Diabetes at the Oswaldo Cruz German Hospital located in São Paulo, Brazil. Dr. Cohen is also the former president of the Brazilian Society of Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery, and is the current president of the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO), Latin America Chapter.

Dr. Cohen has been the primary investigator (PI) for 15 studies, including two EndoBarrier studies. He has published more than 150 papers and is considered a leader in the field of surgery for patients with type 2 diabetes and non-severe obesity.

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Jan Willem Greve, MD, PhD

Bariatric/Metabolic Surgeon, Heerlen, Netherlands

Dr. Greve serves as medical director of the Dutch Obesity Clinics South and chair of the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Unit at the Zuyderland Medical Center in the Netherlands. Dr. Greve received his PhD at the Academic Hospital in Maastricht, Netherlands, has served on numerous committees, supervised 15 doctoral theses and authored more than 185 peer-reviewed papers and numerous book chapters on intensive care medicine, nutrition and bariatric and metabolic surgery. He was principal investigator of two European EndoBarr.

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Francesco Rubino, MD

Bariatric/Metabolic Surgeon, London, UK

Dr. Rubino is internationally recognized as one of the world leaders in the research, education, and practice of metabolic and weight-loss surgery. He received his MD and completed his residency in general surgery at the Catholic University in Rome, Italy. Dr. Rubino completed fellowships in laparoscopic surgery at the European Institute of Telesurgery in Strasbourg, France, at Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, and at the Cleveland Clinic.

A member of many professional organizations, Dr. Rubino is the recipient of numerous awards, has given hundreds of presentations throughout the world, and is the author of over 100 articles in peer-reviewed journals as well as numerous book chapters. His experimental studies provided the first evidence of a direct effect of gastrointestinal surgery on glucose metabolism independent of weight loss, uncovering a biological link between the gut and diabetes. Dr. Rubino was the main organizer and co-director with Dr. Lee Kaplan and GI Dynamics SAB members Dr. Cummings and Dr. Schauer of the Diabetes Surgery Summit (DSS), an influential consensus conference. The recently released DSS guidelines have been adopted by the American Diabetes Association, and have been endorsed by over 50 scientific societies around the world. Dr. Rubino also served as Congress Director and organizer of the first three editions of the World Congress on Interventional Therapies for Type 2 Diabetes, an international forum for discussion of both conventional surgical interventions and novel endoluminal approaches.

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Philip Schauer, MD

Bariatric/Metabolic Surgeon, Cleveland, OH, U.S.A.

Dr. Schauer is the past president of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and immediate past chair of Obesity Week. He has also served as a co-director of the DSS with Drs. Cummings, Kaplan and Rubino. His clinical areas of expertise include laparoscopic and gastrointestinal surgery.

Dr. Schauer received his medical degree from the Baylor College of Medicine, completed his residency in surgery at The University of Texas at San Antonio, and completed his fellowship in laparoscopic surgery at Duke University Medical Center. Dr. Schauer is board certified in surgery by the American Board of Surgery. He has been the principal investigator or co-investigator on numerous research grants and has published numerous papers, abstracts, and book chapters related to gastrointestinal and laparoscopic surgery. His memberships in professional and scientific societies include the American College of Surgeons, Association of Academic Surgery, Society of University Surgeons, Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons, American Society of Bariatric Surgery, Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES), and Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract.

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Gastroenterology

Manoel Galvao Neto, MD

Gastroenterologist, SAo Paulo, Brazil

Dr. Galvao is a clinical associate professor at Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine at Florida International University in Miami, Florida, and Affiliate Professor of Surgery at ABC College of Medicine in Canto Andrew in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Galvao earned his PhD at the Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil, in 2018 for his thesis on endoscopic treatment of sleeve gastrectomy leaks.

Dr. Galvao is a board-certified specialist in digestive surgery, gastroenterology and digestive endoscopy with a vast understanding of bariatric endoscopy. He holds multiple positions focused on aiding in the understanding and improvement of quality patient care through bariatric endoscopy.

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Nephrology

Allon Friedman, MD

Nephrology, Indianapolis, IN, U.S.A.

“I am pleased to work with GI Dynamics in broadening their focus to include CKD. I look forward to working with this talented group of clinicians on the GI Dynamics SAB and achieving my goal of improving patient outcomes in the important and ever-growing field of type 2 diabetes- and obesity-related kidney disorders.”

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INTERESTED IN JOINING THE STEP-1 TRIAL?

Morphic Medical is currently enrolling patients for its STEP-1 clinical study of RESET® in the United States. Learn more if you or someone you know are interested in participating in the study and would like to see if you qualify to join.

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