Trends and Innovations in Orthopaedics: A CEO’s Perspective 

Hosts Charles A. Goldfarb, MD, FAOA and Alexander Aleem, MD sit down with Cheryl Blanchard, BS, MS, PhD, president and CEO of Anika Therapeutics, to discuss how the company is driving technological innovations to benefit patients, orthopaedic surgeons, payors, and health care organizations.

Dr. Blanchard discusses how new orthopaedic trends impact the development process and shape product offerings. She describes how the 2020 acquisitions of Arthrosurface and Parcus Medical have dramatically shortened Anika’s innovation cycles to deliver greater value to physicians, patients, and shareholders.  

The conversation touches on Dr. Blanchard’s career journey, merging her expertise in medicine, engineering, and business to becoming a leader of a multi-national orthopaedics corporation.  She provides perspectives on challenging yourself professionally, including experiencing new things and not being afraid to accept a challenge.

Dr. Blanchard assumed the role of Anika’s president and chief executive officer in April 2020. She has served as president and CEO of Microchips Biotech, held senior executive positions at Zimmer-Biotech, and provided strategic consulting services to medical device companies and private equity clients. Dr. Blanchard currently serves as director of Vigil Neuroscience and Daré Bioscience.  Dr. Blanchard received her M.S. and Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and received her B.S. in Ceramic Engineering from Alfred University.

Anika (NASDAQ: ANIK) is a global joint preservation company committed to delivering meaningful advancements in early intervention orthopedic care, including osteoarthritis pain management, regenerative solutions, soft tissue repair, and bone preserving joint technologies.