The Tenacity That Rewrote the Playbook

The Tenacity That Rewrote the Playbook: Recor Medical’s Triumph in Cardiovascular Innovation

The road to true innovation is rarely straight, and no one knows this better than the team at Recor Medical. Their recent win of the TAG Award for Cardiovascular Therapeutic Innovation, recognizing the Paradise Ultrasound Renal Denervation System, isn't just a testament to a breakthrough device; it's a celebration of 14 years of unwavering conviction in the face of industry doubt.

In a candid conversation on the TAG'D: Beyond the Award podcast, Dr. Helen Reeve Stoffer, Recor Medical’s Chief Operating Officer, shared the remarkable journey. 

She recalls the early days, when renal denervation was met with huge exuberance, followed by a devastating industry-wide collapse when a major clinical trial failed. The bar for proving success was suddenly set at an astronomical height.

“At that time, I thought to myself, was this the worst career decision I’ve ever made?” Dr. Reeve Stoffer admitted, referencing joining the company just months before the pivotal Simplicity HGN3 trial failed.

But instead of folding, Recor Medical took a hard look at the evidence. 

Recognizing that blood pressure trials require a level of rigor typically reserved for pharmaceuticals, Dr. Reeve Stoffer spearheaded a crucial pivot. They partnered with experts, and even skeptics, and worked with the FDA to redesign their clinical approach. 

The result was a new standard of evidence that proved their technology worked. The tenacity paid off.

A Device for a Pandemic

Why the relentless pursuit? The answer lies in the sheer scale of the problem. Hypertension is a global pandemic affecting well over 100 million patients in the US alone. While medication can control blood pressure, compliance is a major challenge, leaving half of all patients uncontrolled.

“The drug side is just not working for everyone,” Dr. Reeve Stoffer stated.

The Paradise System offers a minimally invasive, catheter-based therapy using ultrasound energy to quiet the overactive nerves near the kidneys that drive high blood pressure. With real-world data demonstrating drops of 20+ mm Hg, a huge impact on cardiovascular risk, the system is delivering life-changing results for patients who have run out of options. 

For many, the relief is profound, allowing them to exercise, play with their kids, and escape the potentially fatal comorbidities of prolonged hypertension.

Building the Market, Together

Now, as COO, Dr. Reeve Stoffer leads the day-to-day operations with a focus on commercial growth and continued innovation. Her transparent leadership style empowers her team, many of whom have been with the company for years, to work directly with customers and physicians.

“Innovation will continue,” she affirmed, detailing the commitment to making the procedure even simpler and more patient-friendly.

Recor is pioneering a completely new therapeutic category, driving reimbursement pathways, and battling resistance to establish this device-based therapy.

For the engineers and manufacturing staff who painstakingly develop the ultrasound technology, the TAG Award provides essential external validation, a recognition that their 14-year commitment is changing the landscape of cardiovascular health!

Recor Medical’s story is a powerful reminder that when a team is anchored by a massive clinical need and driven by unwavering belief, they can pivot from industry failure to groundbreaking, patient-centered triumph!

 

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