Nissan Elimelech, former CEO of Augmedics, has left the augmented reality spine surgical company he founded in 2014.
Augmedics began a new chapter in January when Kevin Hykes, a 30-year medtech veteran with previous roles at Medtronic and Boston Scientific, succeeded Mr. Elimelech as president and CEO. Since January, Mr. Elimelech has operated as chief product officer.
"Significant changes in the company and disagreements with the new management and board, have led to my departure from the company I have founded and managed for so many years," Mr. Elimelech wrote in a Sept. 14 LinkedIn post. "I am now sitting on the sidelines in the cheerleading role, hoping that the company and the technology we have built will be as successful and transformative as we all hoped it will be."
A number of leadership changes took place at Augmedics in 2021: Raj Asarpota, a former NuVasive executive was appointed CFO; Nadav Tomer, former DePuy Synthes global spine president joined the board of directors; former Medtronic executive Reed Krider was named chief marketing officer; and Bradley Paddock, Stryker's former global president of spine, was named independent chair of the board.
Earlier this year, the company's Xvision spine system, which is impressing spine surgeons with its potential to limit complications associated with instrumented spine surgery and improve procedural efficiency, surpassed 2,000 cases.