ASX stock Anteris Technologies (ASX:AVR) is out to revolutionise...

ASX stock Anteris Technologies (ASX:AVR) is out to revolutionise the treatment of an often-fatal heart condition, with human trials of its aortic valve showing stunning results. Cardiac device company Anteris will now use this year to prepare for a pivotal registration trial for treatment of aortic stenosis (AS), a potentially fatal heart disease with a growing, multi-billion dollar market.Founded in Australia, with a significant presence in the MedTech hub of Minneapolis in the US, Anteris has developed the world’s first single-piece transcatheter aortic valve, called the DurAVR THV.The valve, developed in collaboration with leading interventional cardiologists and cardiac surgeons globally, has been shown to restore normal (pre-disease) aortic blood flow in AS patients.For the latest health news, sign up here for free * daily newslettersThe DurAVR THV is crafted from AVR’s patented anti-calcification ADAPT tissue technology, which has a track record of more than a decade in clinical use and has been distributed to over 55,000 patients worldwide.* recently caught up with CEO and managing director Wayne Paterson on his visit to Australia to attend Sydney Valves 2024, a conference focused on the latest in structural heart interventions.How does DurAVR THV work?To understand how the DurAVR THV works, it’s essential to comprehend the pivotal role of an aortic valve in the body’s cardiovascular system, as well as the specific condition that the device is treating.Paterson says the aortic valve regulates blood flow from the left side of the heart to the body. The left ventricle (one of four heart chambers) pumps blood from the lungs through the aortic valve to the rest of the body.“During heart contractions, the aortic valve opens, allowing oxygen-rich blood from the left ventricle to enter the aorta, the main artery,” he said.“Aortic stenosis is the abnormal narrowing, thickening, and stiffening of this valve, hindering blood flow.”Paterson said AS was a common, serious, and potentially life-threatening condition, predominantly affecting older people, with treatment involving a minimally invasive transcatheter aortic valve replacement procedure (TAVR or TAVI) or surgery to repair or replace the faulty aortic valve.He said one in eight people aged over 75 showed moderate to severe AS, which was fatal for 50 per cent of patients if untreated for two years (and only about 15-20 per cent of severe cases were treated).Heartvalves.com estimates that more than 97,000 Australians have severe AS. It is predicted that there will be 200,000 Australian patients with moderate to severe AS by 2031.