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Too often we define the Medtech sector by the number of dollars raised, IPOs helped or companies sold. But the focus neglects the very foundation of the sector - the People. Join the Medtech Talk Podcast each week to hear from entrepreneurs, investors and executives who spend their days developing the tools that make sick people well and health care more efficient.

Stimulating Confidence by Solving Incontinence

November 2, 2020

After 20+ years as an academic physician, Karen Noblett was presented with a new opportunity: join Axonics as the company’s CMO. Originally, she was concerned about what her peers would think, as she had established a reputation of being ethically involved with industry and did not want to compromise that. Ultimately, she decided this presented a pathway to improving patient treatments and outcomes on a broader scale, so she accepted the position and has enjoyed the experience ever since. From helping the team build the final product to overseeing clinical trials to experiencing an IPO and finally to a successful commercial launch, Karen learned a great deal about the medical device industry. In this interview with host Geoff Pardo, Karen shares informative background on the physiology of overactive bladder and the various treatments available, including Axonic’s sacral neuromodulation device (a so called “bladder pacemaker”); recounts her transition from academia to industry; and reflects on some of her most influential mentors and how they affected her own leadership style.

Karen Noblett, MD

CMO

Axonics Modulation Technologies

Dr. Noblett serves as the Chief Medical Officer at Axonics, is Board Certified in OB/GYN and Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, and recently completed her MBA at the Paul Merage School of Business at UC Irvine. She previously served as the founding Chair and Professor of the Dept of OB/GYN in the School of Medicine at the University of California, Riverside from 2014-2017. Prior to this, she was a Professor in the OB/GYN Dept and Fellowship and Division Director for Urogynecology at the University of California, Irvine, as well as serving as the Interim Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Noblett has also served on the American Board of OB/GYN Board of Directors and the American Urogynecology Board of Directors and maintains an academic appointment at UC Irvine in the dept of OB/GYN, division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery. She has published over 50 peer-reviewed journal articles and authored multiple book chapters. She is a recognized expert in the field of Sacral Neuromodulation.