Sinusitis-device firm Entellus Medical hires new CEO

Entellus Medical Inc., which is developing a less-invasive therapy to treat chronic sinusitis, has hired a new chief executive.

Brian Farley, who has served on the company’s board since 2008 and previously led VNUS Medical Technologies Inc., takes over the CEO job from Entellus co-founder Tom Ressemann, according to a company statement.

Ressemann will stay on as Entellus’ chief business development officer.

Farley joined VNUS, which developed a catheter-based treatment for venous insufficiency, in 1995 as its first employee. During his time as CEO, the company went public in 2004 and was acquired last year for $440 million by medical-products giant Covidien Ltd.

Entellus’ FinESS sinus treatment is designed to relieve the need for antibiotics or invasive surgery to treat chronic sinusitis. The company says its treatment reduces a patient’s recovery time, because it doesn’t require removing bone or sinus tissue and can be done with minimal bleeding. The procedure is performed by inserting a balloon catheter into a patient’s nasal cavity through a tiny incision under the lip, then expanding the balloon in the passageway and draining excess mucus from the sinus.

In November, Entellus closed a $30 million round of funding that was led by new investor Essex Woodlands Health Ventures and supported by existing investors Split Rock Partners and SV Life Sciences. The company has raised $57 million overall.