We are greatly saddened to share news of the passing of our friend and colleague, Ray Chow, on Thursday, November 24, 2022, after a difficult illness. Ray was an advisor and board member of SeaStar Medical for three years, including as Chairman of the Board.
Ray was a strategist who could challenge conventional thinking. He helped create a new vision for SeaStar Medical, one that redefined the disease state to hyperinflammation and expanded the promise of SeaStar Medical’s Selective Cytopheretic Device (SCD) to critical unmet clinical needs outside the kidney. He was a passionate, strategic thinker that could balance strategy and tactical efforts with ease. He was a trusted advisor to the company and a friend.
His insights helped redefine SeaStar Medical’s innovative platform. The SCD is a cell-directed extracorporeal therapy that selectively targets the most activated pro-inflammatory neutrophils and monocytes to stop the cytokine storm that causes organ failure and possible death in critically ill patients, allowing the body to return to homeostasis.
He was deeply committed to innovation in nephrology and dedicated his career to promoting advances in renal care. During his career, he led global marketing for Amgen’s Aranesp, a prescription medicine used to treat anemia caused by chronic kidney disease in patients on dialysis. He founded a nutraceutical company for individuals impacted by chronic kidney disease. He led a consulting business to assist biopharmaceutical companies in fundraising, commercial strategy, clinical development, medical affairs, sales and marketing and other operational needs. He had recently formed a company to work with emerging pre-commercial companies in renal care to help drive innovation and transform clinical outcomes for people with kidney disease.
In addition to his professional accomplishments, Ray had a warm personality that could light up a room. He was energetic and giving of his time.
He was a passionate fan of Everton Football Club in the English Premier League. He could be found on weekend mornings watching English Premiere League games on television while chatting with friends around the world about each team’s performance. He was also an inspirational youth soccer coach, sharing his love of the game with young players.
Born in Liverpool, England, Ray received his Ph.D. in Pharmacology from Aberystwyth University and his BSc Hons in Biochemistry from Manchester University. He and his family moved to the United States in 2003 to work for Amgen. He is survived by his wife, Zoe, and his children, Oliver, Izabelle and Tobey.
If you wish to express sympathy, please consider making a donation in Ray’s memory to One Tree Planted, an organization he loved to support.
