SafeGuard Surgical
Medical innovations of the future, healing patients today.
About Us
SafeGuard Surgical, a biodegradable surgical device platform that has been designated by the FDA as "breakthrough technology", will ensure safer surgery for superior patient outcomes while reducing costs, preventing additional surgical interventions and reducing patient length of stay, but most importantly preventing mortality and morbidity which is much too common risk from surgery.
Our mission is a scalable and sustainable innovative global outreach to improve surgical outcomes in advanced surgical procedures adapting US ideas in underdeveloped and advancing outcomes in contemporary nations.
Our focus is attention specific to emerging markets, underserved and developing nations to prevent common leaks that have alarming mortality rates in the international community.
The United States is the world's largest medical device market and it shows no signs of slowing. The US medical device industry is valued at $159 billion in 2022 and is poised for steady growth, with global annual sales forecast to rise by over 5 percent a year and reach nearly US$800 billion by 2030 U.S. health care spending grew 9.7 percent in 2020, reaching $4.1 trillion or $12,530 per person. As a share of the nation's Gross Domestic Product, health spending accounted for 19.7 percent.
LeakGuard
- LeakGuard is a patented biodegradable stent that protects patients from surgical leaks using a medical grade polymer
- Inserted during surgery across the anastomosis
- No need for second surgery, preventing complications and costs and saving lives
Benefits
- Obviates the need for an artificial anus and related pouches
- Environmentally-friendly biodegradable material
LEAKGUARD™: REVOLUTIONIZING SURGERY & CATALYZING A CARBON-FREE FOOTPRINT IN THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY
Currently the healthcare industry is staggering behind with environmental issues.
*Approximately 10 years ago the first electric vehicle “start-up” (Tesla) revolutionized the automobile industry.*
LeakGuard™ is the first and only surgical solution with ZERO CARBON FOOTPRINT and NO ECOLOGICAL WASTE using CLEAN TECHNOLOGY with a SUSTAINABLE SUPPLY CHAIN that’s scalable.
This breakthrough medical technology represents an inflection point for both modern medicine and the way the healthcare industry advances climate change.
LeakGuard™ has been successfully designed, developed, and tested from the ground up with the planet in mind.
*SafeGuard Surgical’s biodegradable technology will catalyze a green revolution in the healthcare industry. *
Save the planet along with millions of lives!
Empowering Underserved Communities in Colorectal Care
Our groundbreaking biodegradable stent, represents a significant leap forward in medical technology with profound implications for underserved communities, particularly in the context of colorectal surgery. Traditionally, the standard of care for preventing anastomotic leaks during these surgeries has been the placement of diverting ostomies. While effective, ostomies come with a host of drawbacks. They are associated with high morbidity, significant risks, and substantial costs to the healthcare system. Moreover, they dramatically impact patients' quality of life, often leaving individuals with complex and life-altering challenges.
One of the most compelling aspects of LeakGuard is its potential to alleviate the burdens placed on underserved communities, especially among communities of color, who are disproportionately affected by colon cancer. According to an article on cancer.org, “African Americans are about 20% more likely to get colorectal cancer and about 40% more likely to die from it than most other groups.” Colon cancer is not only the most common cancer among these communities but also a disease that carries a heavy toll due to delayed diagnosis and treatment disparities. The cost of temporary ostomies has been a formidable barrier, preventing many from accessing the quality medical care they desperately need.
By introducing LeakGuard as an alternative to ostomies, we have the opportunity to level the playing field and ensure that underserved communities can receive the best possible care in the fight against colon cancer. This innovative technology not only protects patients from the severe consequences of anastomotic leaks but also does so without subjecting them to the morbidities associated with ostomies. This breakthrough promises to improve the rate of recovery and enhance the overall quality of life for individuals post-colorectal surgery, making a profound impact on the health and well-being of minority and underserved populations. In doing so, LeakGuard represents a beacon of hope and equity in the realm of healthcare, bringing us one step closer to ensuring that everyone has access to high-quality medical treatments, regardless of their socioeconomic background or the color of their skin.
Co-Founders
DR. SCOTT KELLEY
CEO, Inventor, Co-Founder
Dr. Kelley is a surgical oncologist trained in the surgical treatment of gastrointestinal malignancies of esophagus, pancreatic, stomach, colon and rectal, and hepatobiliary malignancies. He attended Dartmouth College and Columbia Medical School, and then completed General Surgery residency at the University of Pennsylvania and Surgical Oncology Fellowship at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center. Dr Kelley has developed several patents across a wide range of domains.
JILL KELLEY
Co-Founder
Jill Kelley is the first Arab American female founder of a medical biotech company, SafeGuard Surgical. She is an advocate of purpose-driven technology that addresses healthcare inequities/inequalities across the globe. As a proud Lebanese immigrant, she is a zealous advocate for women and minorities in STEM and is a proud inventor and developer of multiple patents that deliver innovative solutions to unmet clinical needs. In her formative years she was studying to be a doctor. She published medical research papers at the University of Pennsylvania where she met her husband (and cofounder) Dr. Scott Kelley. Jill is an advisor to many countries as well as multinational companies (from startup to publicly traded) and brings her vast experience and expertise to strategically and successfully launch SafeGuard Surgical.
Advisory Board
Eamonn Hobbs
Justin Chickles
Justin Chickles
President & Chief Executive Officer at Synchromune. Previously he was a Visiting Scholar and Entrepreneur in Residence for the Translational Accelerator at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School.
Justin Chickles
Justin Chickles
Justin Chickles
Co-founder of Glycyx, previous CEO and co-founder of Mobile Sense where he led the development and design, clinical trial, and partnerships. He was also a commercial leader at Johnson & Johnson and a business development executive at Purdue Pharma.
Deb Ramsdell
Justin Chickles
Peter Zaffaroni
CEO and COO of Phoenicis. Deborah has previously held positions at Lotus Tissue Repair, Inc., CMS International, Inc., Phoenicis Therapeutics, Orphan Technologies, Valerion Therapeutics, and Alopexx Enterprises. Ramsdell has over 28 years of experience in the regulatory affairs and clinical operations field.
Peter Zaffaroni
Peter Zaffaroni
Peter Zaffaroni
Peter Zaffaroni is an associate in the Palo Alto office of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, where he practices corporate and securities law.
Vishal Verma
Peter Zaffaroni
Richard Toren
Partner at the Edgewood Group., a family office based in Silicon Valley. He is a senior advisor to the Honorable Dick Gephardt and Honorable Secretary Michael Chertoff.
Richard Toren
Peter Zaffaroni
Richard Toren
Entrepreneur-in-residence at the University of Miami. co-inventor of the EpiPen and Holter Monitor.
Kevin Skinner MD
Shirpal Meghani, MTI Mentor
Shirpal Meghani, MTI Mentor
Accomplished preclinical and clinical director with over 20 years of experience in medical device development.
Shirpal Meghani, MTI Mentor
Shirpal Meghani, MTI Mentor
Shirpal Meghani, MTI Mentor
Seasoned Sr. Director of Business Development for Johnson & Johnson, bringing extensive experience from roles including board member at Cleveland Clinic Ventures, Director of Business Development at Phillips Healthcare.
Richard Moscicki, MD
Shirpal Meghani, MTI Mentor
Richard Moscicki, MD
Dr. Moscicki held key roles in the pharmaceutical industry and regulatory agencies, including serving as chief medical officer at PhRMA from 2017 to mid-2022 and overseeing regulatory matters at Genzyme Corporation. He also contributed to FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, holding the position of Deputy Center Director for Science Operations.