Saladax Biomedical, a Bethlehem, Penn.-based privately held company developing and commercializing novel diagnostic, has appointed Kevin M. Harter as president and chief executive officer.

Harter, a co-founder and senior vice president of the Life Science Greenhouse, a public-private life sciences investment partnership, has been serving as interim CEO of Saladax since January 2012. From 2007 to 2011, Harter served as executive chairman of Saladax, a LSG-portfolio company, where he led multiple, successful funding rounds and strategic deals for the company.

He also co-founded Keystone Medical Systems in 1990 and managed the company through significant growth until its acquisition by publicly-held Continental Medical Systems. Prior to Keystone, Harter held several positions within the Pennsylvania Blue Shield organization, including vice president, technology, and has contributed significantly to the development of the field of electronic claims, electronic medical records and physician practice management.  He has held more than two dozen board seats in healthcare, technology and financial companies.