Shockwave Appoints Dr. Nick West as Associate CMO

September 26, 2023—Shockwave Medical, Inc. recently announced that Nick West, MD, has joined the company in the role of Associate Chief Medical Officer (CMO). Dr. West will report to CMO Keith Dawkins, MD, and succeed him as CMO likely in mid-2024.

Shockwave notes that Dr. West joins the company from Abbott Vascular, where he served as CMO and Divisional Vice President of Global Medical Affairs for the past 4 years. Previously, he was an attending cardiologist at the Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in Cambridge, United Kingdom. Over his career, Dr. West's academic pursuits have focused on vascular biology, coronary physiology/microvascular function, intracoronary imaging/vulnerable plaque detection, and bioresorbable scaffold technology. He is also a founding member and CMO of the Cambridge-based vulnerable plaque startup, PlaqueTec Ltd, and sits on the Innovation Council of the UCLA School of Biodesign in Los Angeles, California.

“Dr. West brings to Shockwave a wealth of expertise in the interventional cardiology space,” commented Dr. Dawkins in the company’s press release. “His expertise in intravascular imaging will be especially beneficial to many Shockwave IVL customers as the use of imaging continues to increase, and, as a result, there arises a greater appreciation for the presence and diverse morphology of cardiovascular calcium.”

“There is no denying the exceptional job Shockwave has done to generate significant momentum behind IVL in a relatively short period of time,” stated Dr. West in the company announcement. “I am extremely excited to utilize everything I have learned from my time both in industry and previously as an interventional cardiologist to help continue to propel Shockwave forward as one of the most innovative players in the cardiovascular space. I look forward to contributing to the company’s mission of developing exceptional solutions to revolutionize treatments for underserved patient populations.”