Denis LaBombard View Denis LaBombard's profile on LinkedIn

Managing Partner
- CTO Engineering & Fabrication

Denis LaBombard founder of SANDBOX LLC has been an inventor in the medical device industry for over 30 years. - Since receiving his BS in Plastics Technology from the Lowell Technological Institute in 1973, and participating in the advanced degree program through 1976, he has been an innovator and inventor in medical device product design and product development.

Denis LaBombard founded Aponos Medical Corp. in 2007 to develop and promote unique intellectual property in the field of tissue closure and tissue management - The Aponos Medical Padlock Clip and Lock-It Delivery System product provides to the physician a unique safe rapid and 100% effective tissue closing technology.

Mr. LaBombard has a proven track record of successful product development and product launch. - These products have generated consistent profitable revenue streams for such companies as Smiths Medical, J&J, Heartport, Physiometrics, Haemonetics, Amicon, Millipore, and Bausch & Lomb - Mr LaBombards’ experience and contributions as a key team contributor to many of these medical device companies has resulted successful development programs, cost effective manufacturing processes and unique patents in a wide range of technology areas. - Mr. LaBombard currently holds 9 US Patents and has 10 Pending Patent Applications

Frank Patterson

Development
Customer Relations

Frank Patterson has over 25 years experience in the medical device engineering business. - His most recent experiences have been design and commercialization of a number of human implant technologies including: The CreatiVasc Hemoaccess Valve System (HVS) a major breakthrough in the fight to reduce the universal complications that are associated with arteriovenous (AV) grafts, - Tissue Fastening Technology (EVA), - Feeding (CR Bard), - Cardiac Pacing (CR Bard) and Implantable Temperature Regulation technologies. - Patterson’s experience in medical device covers R&D, Design, Process and Materials Engineering and Program Management focused on the commercialization of diagnostic and therapeutic devices.

While obtaining a M.S. in Material Science from Rutgers, University, New Brunswick, NJ, he worked with Dr. Norman Gaylord at PolyChem Industries formulating polymers for numerous sustained release applications,. - From 1976-1979, he led a commercialization team for International Playtex focused on infant feeding products that captured 80% market share. - From 1979-1981, Frank built a facility, staff and quality system at Adam Spence Corp in Wall, NJ. custom compounding thermoplastics for extrusion of catheters in support of medical device companies such as Arrow, Medtronic and CR Bard. - From 1981 to 1995, He was Staff Engineer for New Product Development for CR Bard ($1.4 billion annual sales). - While there he served in principal engineering role as a team leader in the commercialization of a dozen vascular and GI medical devices, encompassing physician concept, design and process engineering, bench/ animal testing and FDA compliance and submissions.

In 1995, he founded FP Solutions, leading collaborative development teams focused on taking innovative medical device concepts into the commercial market with clients such as - CR Bard, - J&J companies (HeartPort, Ethicon) and - Act Medical / - MedSource Technologies (now Accellent). - At MedSource Technologies he also served as a program engineering manager coordinating the activities of as many as 6 distinct manufacturing and development teams across the country.

Mr. Patterson also has extensive experience in developing physician concepts into human-use clinical devices. He has made major contributions start-up companies such as - HydroCision (world’s first tissue discriminating wound debridement system, - EVA (world’s first vascular endoluminal staple) and - Aponos Medical. - In 2003, Patterson was named an Engineering Partner for Sandbox LLC. - Mr. Patterson holds 14 US patents and has engineered the design and processes to manufacture dozens of polymeric and metallic medical devices.

Frank Patterson is also a founder of Aponos Medical Corp. and is in the role of V.P. of Product Development, bringing his wealth of device, development and voice of the customer acquisition experience to the team. - The Aponos Medical Lock-It Closure System product provides to the physician a unique safe rapid and 100% effective tissue closing technology.

F. Patterson US Patents: 7,101,366, 6,648,912, 6,607,555, 6,216,573, 6,099,535, 6,099,485, 6,083,150, 5, 944,686, 5,921,915, 5,908,381, 5,871,462, 5,613,956, 5,549,576, & 5,391,152 - F. Patterson US Patent Applications Pending: #20030163085, #20030195607, #20040002679, #20040024362, #20040127919, #20050187569, #20070010875

Ken Spector

Experienced Medical Device Executive
Program Management & Product Launch Expert

Ken Spector, BS. MS, MBA has over 30 years of management expertise in the medical device field guiding product focused teams in medical device product development and product launch processes. - His experience, management influence and accomplishments include holding senior executive positions in large established companies such as Medtronic C.R. Bard, and Vision Sciences as well as driving lean start-up and early stage operations such as CryoCath Technologies, Cortek, and Aponos Medical Corp.

After receiving his MBA from Babson College in 1984, Ken held a number of management positions with increasing product development responsibility and influence at C.R .BARD including: - Engineering Manager USCI Division, - Business Manager (Retroperfusion), Bard Ventures Division, and - Manager, Catheter Engineering, Bard Ventures Division. - Ken focused and guided team development efforts on products for cardiology and critical care, implementing a commercial retroperfusion systems, and launching diagnostic and therapeutic electrophysiology products. – In 1989 Ken became Research & Development Manager for the Interventional Vascular Division at MEDTRONIC directing all R&D activities for guide catheters and accessories used in PTCA, bringing the Medtronic’s market share from 6% to 30% in less than 3 years.

From 1995 to 2006 Mr. Spector participated as a key management influence in achieving company growth as a senior executive staff contributor to a number of medical device startup opportunities and medium size business operations including - Senior VP of R&D at Cryocath Technologies, - Program Management at Act Medical, - Founder and V.P. of R&D at Cortek Inc. and - V.P. of R&D at Vision Sciences Inc. - Products included a wide range of device technologies from cryoablation systems and cardiac output measurement endotracheal tube technology to spinal fusion technology, an allograft spinal implant in clinical use and flexible endoscopic instruments and sterile sheath products.

In 1999 He founded KASAL consulting. - As principal Ken has provided numerous services and management expertise to the medical device industry, involving all aspects of the development and launch process. - Projects included development of novel materials for use in orthopedic products, development of a miniature arthroscope system, products for treatment of infarct patients, laser welding of implantable devices, bioimpedance cardiac output monitoring, a specialized endoscopy anesthesia mask, implementing regulatory submission efforts for a staple system for securing AAA graphs and managing the development of a novel urinary drainage catheter system with visualization capabilities. - Ken has also authored several technical/marketing articles and reports for “Medtech Insight”.

Ken Spector is also a founder of Aponos Medical Corp. - In the role of CEO, he brings his wealth of management and product launch experience to the team. - The Aponos Medical Lock-It Closure System product provides to the physician a unique safe rapid and 100% effective tissue closing technology.

K. Spector US Patents: 4,424,833, 5,899,899, 5,899,899