LivaNova Appoints Stefano Folli as New President of Cardiopulmonary
LivaNova (LIVN) announced that Stefano Folli will join the Company as incoming President, Cardiopulmonary effective June 1, succeeding Franco Poletti, who will retire on July 31. Folli will partner closely with Poletti over the coming months to ensure a seamless leadership transition before assuming full responsibility for the business on August 1. Folli will join the LivaNova Executive Leadership Team and report to CEO Vladimir Makatsaria. In this role, Folli will oversee the strategic growth of the nearly $800-million business, which includes a complete range of Cardiopulmonary disposables and equipment, including the Essenz Perfusion System. Most recently, Folli served as Executive Vice President, Global President Ambulatory Monitoring & Diagnostics at Philips (PHG).
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- Leadership Transition: LivaNova PLC announced that Stefano Folli will succeed Franco Poletti as President of Cardiopulmonary effective June 1, ensuring a smooth leadership transition that is expected to enhance the company's strategic execution in the cardiopulmonary medical technology sector.
- Business Scale: Folli will oversee a nearly $800 million cardiopulmonary business, including the Essenz™ Perfusion System, and is anticipated to drive growth and innovation through his extensive industry experience.
- Experience Background: Folli's previous role as Global President of Ambulatory Monitoring & Diagnostics at Philips involved successful integration of acquisitions and strengthening market leadership, showcasing his deep expertise and leadership capabilities that will bring new perspectives and strategies to LivaNova.
- Strategic Vision: Folli expressed his commitment to collaborating with the global team to enhance execution and innovation, aiming to improve outcomes for patients and clinicians, which underscores LivaNova's long-term dedication to the medical technology field.
- Significant Revenue Growth: LivaNova achieved an 11% revenue growth in Q1 2026, reaching $362 million, demonstrating strong performance in its cardiopulmonary and epilepsy segments, which enhances the company's competitive position in the medical device market.
- Optimistic Market Outlook: The company now expects cardiopulmonary revenue growth for 2026 to rise to 8.5%-9.5% and epilepsy growth to 6%-7%, reflecting management's confidence in future market demand.
- FDA Approval of New Device: LivaNova received FDA premarket approval for the aura6000 system, the first hypoglossal nerve stimulation device approved without complete consent, marking a strategic entry into the obstructive sleep apnea market.
- Cash Flow and Investment: The adjusted free cash flow for Q1 was $4 million, while capital expenditures were $14 million, primarily driven by cardiopulmonary capacity expansion and next-generation oxygenator manufacturing upgrades, indicating the company's commitment to ongoing investments for future growth.
- Significant Revenue Growth: LivaNova reported Q1 2026 revenue of $362.3 million, reflecting a 14.3% increase year-over-year and an 11.1% rise on a constant-currency basis, showcasing strong performance in its Cardiopulmonary and Epilepsy segments, thereby enhancing market competitiveness.
- Upgraded Earnings Guidance: The company raised its full-year 2026 revenue growth forecast to 7.0%-8.0% and adjusted diluted earnings per share guidance to $4.20-$4.30, indicating strong operational execution and market confidence.
- FDA Approval for New Device: LivaNova received FDA premarket approval for its aura6000 System, the first hypoglossal nerve stimulation device approved without contraindications for complete concentric collapse, marking a strategic breakthrough in the obstructive sleep apnea market.
- Clinical Trial Results Published: The company published full 12-month results from the OSPREY randomized controlled trial in the Annals of Internal Medicine, demonstrating significant clinical responses and sustained improvements, further solidifying its market position.
- Clinically Significant Improvements: The OSPREY trial demonstrated that pHGNS treatment significantly reduced the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) in moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients, with the median AHI dropping from 34.3 to 11.6 after 7 months, indicating substantial clinical relevance in enhancing patient sleep quality.
- Diverse Patient Population: The trial included 104 participants with varied demographics and OSA severity, ensuring the findings are broadly applicable, particularly for patients intolerant to positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy, showcasing pHGNS as a viable alternative treatment option.
- Safety and Efficacy: No serious adverse events were reported, with most treatment-emergent adverse events being mild or moderate, underscoring the safety of pHGNS in clinical applications and enhancing its competitive position in the market.
- Future Market Outlook: LivaNova plans to independently commercialize its next-generation OSA device by 2027, leveraging FDA approval and strong clinical results to potentially provide effective treatment options for the approximately 1 billion undiagnosed OSA patients worldwide.









