Marc Began has been appointed executive vice president for AxoGen, Inc., an Alachua, Florida based company focused on surgical solutions for peripheral nerve injuries.
Marc Began Is AxoGen’s New EVP and General Counsel

Effective March 20, 2023, Began will also take over the role of general counsel and will be in charge of all of the company’s legal, business development, and compliance activities. Began is a member of the executive leadership team and will report directly to AxoGen Chairman, CEO, and President Karen Zaderej.
Zaderej commented, “I want to thank Brad [Ottinger, the previous general counsel] for his important contributions to AxoGen, and welcome Marc [Began] to our team.”
Zaderej continued, “Marc’s advisory background and breadth of legal experience within biotechnology companies will bring immediate value and is an ideal addition to our team.”
Began’s legal career spans more than 20 years during which he worked at a number of companies focused on pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and biotechnology.
Began stated, “AxoGen has an impressive history and product portfolio, providing innovative solutions for patients with peripheral nerve injuries, and I look forward to working with the team.”
Most recently, Began served as the executive vice president, general counsel, and secretary for Abiomed, Inc. based in Danvers, Massachusetts. Abiomed is a medical technology company focused on circulatory support and oxygenation. Johnson & Johnson acquired the company last year.
Before Abiomed, Began was vice president of intellectual property at the pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim. He joined Boehringer Ingelheim from another leading pharmaceutical company, Novo Nordisk. Began spent a bulk of his career, 15 years, at Novo Nordisk in roles of increasing responsibility. The last position he held at the company was assistant general counsel.
Began obtained his Juris Doctor degree from Albany Law School at Union University in Albany, New York. He obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York.

Discussion
This is a fascinating development. In my practice we've seen similar outcomes with the revised protocol. The key differentiator seems to be patient selection criteria. Has anyone else noticed the correlation with BMI thresholds?
Great point. I'd push back slightly on the conclusion, the sample size in the cited study is too small to draw population-level inferences. That said, the directional signal is compelling and worth a larger RCT.
We implemented a similar approach last year. Early results are promising but we're still gathering 12-month follow-up data. Happy to share our protocol if anyone is interested.
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