Lapovations announces leadership change

Fayetteville-based medical device startup Lapovations LLC promoted Spencer Jones to CEO after co-founder Jared Greer left the position to join another healthcare company, according to a Thursday (Nov. 2) news release.

Greer accepted a role as CEO of Harrison-based Bladder & Bowel Institute, a provider of advanced therapy for bladder and bowel control issues. Greer will remain board chairman for Lapovations.

“Spencer’s expertise, coupled with his dedication to innovative medical solutions, makes him the perfect candidate to steer Lapovations into its next chapter,” Greer said. “His experience with both Lapovations and Lineus Medical exemplifies his commitment and capability to elevate patient care. I am confident in Spencer’s leadership and his ability to drive growth and innovation for Lapovations.”

As CEO, Jones will focus on sales and distribution and strategic partnerships for its flagship medical device, AbGrab. The device is used to lift the abdominal wall at the start of laparoscopic surgery. Jones said he will also focus on innovation and determining Lapovations’ next product. With an additional product, the company can apply for a new grant.

“We’ve shown a strong ability to secure grant funding and non-dilutive funding, how we did with AbGrab,” Jones said. “New product innovation, whether it’s internal or external, and potentially applying for another grant – those are all things that are on the horizon and in the future.”

Jones has been an adviser to Greer since before Greer co-founded Lapovations in 2016. In 2015, Jones founded Fayetteville medical device company Lineus Medical, taking the SafeBreak Vascular medical device from idea to clearance with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and securing several U.S. and international patents. He joined Lapovations in 2020 as director of research and development. He was promoted to chief technology officer and vice president of sales in 2022. Jones’ promotion to CEO was effective Thursday.

In February 2021, Lapovations recorded the first U.S. sale of AbGrab after becoming registered with the FDA. According to the release, the device allows surgeons to lift the abdominal wall more reliably and less invasively at the beginning of laparoscopy, or minimally invasive surgery of the abdomen.

Laparoscopic abdominal entry accounts for about half of serious laparoscopic complications and litigation related to laparoscopy. To reduce risk, surgeons lift the abdominal wall before entry, but existing lifting techniques can be unreliable or invasive, the release shows. AbGrab uses suction to provide a more reliable, less invasive way to lift the abdominal wall.

AbGrab is Lapovations’ first product. The second generation of the device was launched in the fourth quarter of 2022. Jones declined to release sales numbers but said surgeons remain interested in the device and continue to use and like it. The company has sales representatives in 19 states and is exploring international distribution.

Lapovations has three employees and is looking to hire two full-time employees over the next six to nine months.