Founded only in 2005, Breathe Technologies, Inc. is moving full-steam ahead in the medical device industry. The company announced Tuesday that it secured $23 million in Series C financing, which will fund the commercialization of the Breathe Ventilation System, an ultra light mobile ventilation system, said Gregory Kapust, president and CEO.

The money will also go toward the ongoing development of Breathe Technologies' sleep-disordered breathing devices.

The company's recent FDA approval for its wearable ventilation system will also continue to propel the company in the market. The system is designed to help people with severe breathing disorders, like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, return to everyday activities, Kapust told DOTmed News.

"People who have severe breathing problems tend to have severe functional limitation," he said, "which significantly affects the ability to be mobile and conduct normal activities of daily life."

The wearable ventilation system will improve ventilation for patients, thus allowing them freedom of everyday living.

"Ultimately, the product is designed to improve quality of life," Kapust said.

The company has not announced when the device will be available on the market.

Moving forward, the company recently elected John Miclot as its board chairman. Miclot currently serves as an executive-in-residence at Warburg Pincus and serves on the boards of Wright Medical Group, ev3, and Dentsply.

"I've been in the sleep and respiratory business for most of my career," Miclot told DOTmed News. "I think what Breathe Technologies is doing is addressing real market fundamental needs that provide therapy for patients with more comfortable and convenient devices...What [Breathe Technologies] is doing is not just designing products for the sake of it. They're actually looking at what challenges of patients with COPD are and designing smaller, more affordable devices."

The new chairman will play a key role in governing the company, bringing experience from his stint as Respironics president and CEO and Philips Home Healthcare Solutions CEO.

These moves "indicate and validate that we are developing promising technologies to treat respiratory diseases and that we have the capital and capability to bring these solutions to the market," Kapust said.

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