FEMSelect appoints chief medical officer ahead of expansion

The medical developer FEMSelect has announced the appointment of Karla Loken, as its US-based chief medical officer.

FEMSelect, an Israeli start-up, is the company behind EnPlace, a “minimally invasive”, meshless approach to prolapse repair, designed for women diagnosed with pelvic organ prolapse – a medical condition that occurs when one or more of the organs in the pelvis slip down from their normal position and bulge into the vagina.

Dr Karla Loken, a board-certified OBGYN, joins the executive team at a time of US expansion and will be tasked with helping the company meet its objectives for 2023 and beyond.

Loken transitioned to industry where she gained valuable experience in Pharmacovigilance (medical and device safety), medical affairs, and clinical development and has worked with pharma, device, and diagnostic companies as well as consulting for multiple femtech startups.

“Dr Loken’s passionate advocacy and decades of experience across multiple surgical devices and disease states will help us further commercialise EnPlace for women suffering from pelvic floor stability concerns,” said FEMSelect co-CEO, Deborah Garner.

“We are excited to have her join us at this critical juncture of outreach.”

Loken said: “I am honoured to be joining co-CEOs Debbie Garner and Renee Selman and the entire FEMSelect team.

“I share their focus on equity and inclusion in research and on increasing awareness and funding for women’s health and I am eager to help them meet the unmet demand by women who need innovative solutions for pelvic organ prolapse and other conditions.”

Many women are embarrassed to talk to their doctor about pelvic organ prolapse symptoms, with data suggesting more than three million women in the US suffer from the condition.

FEMSelect says its EnPlace approach enables a minimally invasive approach in under 30 minutes, allowing women to return to normal activities within a few days.