Caristo Diagnostics, a Stamford-based AI cardiovascular technology company and University of Oxford spinout, has appointed board member Stephen M. Deitsch as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately.

Deitsch brings more than 25 years of global leadership experience across medtech and healthcare, with a background in driving growth and scaling operations. He most recently served as Chief Financial Officer of OrganOx, where he led that company's 2025 sale to Terumo Corporation for $1.5 billion — described in the press release as the largest spinout exit in the University of Oxford's history.

Michel Lussier, Chairman of the Board, introduced the appointment: "We are delighted to appoint Steve as Caristo's new Chief Executive Officer. His deep understanding of the global medtech landscape, combined with his strong strategic vision and financial acumen, uniquely position him to lead the company through its next phase of growth."

Deitsch succeeds Frank Cheng, who has led Caristo as CEO since 2023 and has been appointed Chief Operating Officer.

Caristo's inflammation detection technology, CaRi-Heart®, is commercially available in the UK, Europe, and Australia and is pending FDA clearance. The company's CaRi-Plaque™ analysis received FDA clearance and launched in the U.S. in 2025, with customers that include hospitals, imaging centers, physician practices, and pharmaceutical and biotech companies.

"I am honored to join Caristo at such a transformative moment, as coronary inflammation - an underlying driver of heart attacks - moves to the forefront of cardiovascular disease prevention," said Stephen M. Deitsch, CEO of Caristo Diagnostics. "At Caristo, we have pioneered the first AI technology capable of detecting coronary inflammation and stratifying cardiovascular risk. In the hands of skilled clinicians worldwide, this innovation has the potential to shift care from a reactive to a truly preventive model, ultimately improving patient outcomes.”