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Latest BIG News
Ventracor Remains on Track to Begin Human Trials of ‘Artificial Heart’
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Ventracor Limited (VCR)
VentrAssist™ market potential
There are over 8 million sufferers of congestive heart failure worldwide, which is increasing by 10% a year. Of these, some 800,000 have a life expectancy of less than a year. Each year, only 3,500 people receive a heart transplant as the only current definitive long-term treatment for end-stage congestive heart failure. At the same time, organ donations are decreasing.
Europe and the United States represent a significant proportion of the market for congestive heart failure therapy.
Ventracor’s primary focus is to deliver the VentrAssist™ to the global market.
Analysts value the potential of this market at between US$7.5 and US$12 billion annually.
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Ventracor (ASX:VCR) is set to begin a Pilot Trial of its VentrAssist™ ‘artificial heart’ device at The Alfred hospital in Melboure.
The trial will test the safety of the device before moving to a global Pivotal Trial later in the year.
In January Ventracor sold its eHealth division to give total focus to its ‘artificial heart’ technology.
The company says its goal is to get VentrAssist™ to global markets as early as is possible and start seeing the benefits flow to both doctors and patients.
Ventracor was well positioned to significantly improve the quality of life for hundreds of thousands of people worldwide suffering heart failure, by obtaining a significant share of the left ventricular assist device (LVAD) market.
The market has been independently assessed to grow to between $US7.5 billion and $US12 billion annually in the next few years.
For more information see www.ventracor.com or subscribe to the company’s newsletter
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VentrAssist™ LVAD
VentrAssist™ is a leading third generation implantable Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) designed as affordable long-term therapy for congestive heart failure patients.
The VentrAssist™’s principal design feature is one moving part, a patented hydrodynamically suspended impeller. There is no wear and tear and accordingly there is potential for unlimited life. This is the primary difference between the VentrAssist™ LVAD and many other devices.
Pre-clinical tests have shown that the unique VentrAssist™ LVAD achieves clinically insignificant blood damage or clotting.
The lightweight and small size of the VentrAssist™ LVAD device enables it to be used in both children and adults, as it is possible to place the device in either the thoracic cavity or preperitoneal space.
The VentrAssist™ LVAD has the potential to become as commonplace and reliable as pacemakers.
Specifically, there is :
Low potential for thrombosis due to the elimination of stasis
No bearing friction means no localised heating.
Preliminary studies indicate:
Little to no antiplatelet agents may be required
Extremely low blood damage in animal trials.
Design features of the VentrAssist™ device:
Small and lightweight
Hermetically sealed implantable pump housing
Thin percutaneous lead with low infection risk
Automatic regulation of pump output, based on varying levels of patient activity
Highly efficient mechanical and electrical design resulting in fewer battery changes
Implant procedure no more difficult than conventional open-heart surgery
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Ventracor Remains on Track to Begin Human Trials of ‘Artificial Heart’
Sydney, 4 March 2003: Australian heart company, Ventracor Limited (ASX: VCR), has noted with interest the recent activity and speculation regarding the commencement of the Pilot Clinical Trial of its implantable ‘artificial heart’ at The Alfred hospital in Melbourne.
Ventracor’s Managing Director and CEO, Mr Michael Spooner, said that the company had met every major milestone throughout the course of the past 12 months.
“Ventracor remains on track for the commencement of clinical trials of its VentrAssistTM Left Ventricular Assist Device and is in line with previous announcements by the company.
“Ventracor is focused on attaining rapid commercialization with the goal to get VentrAssistTM to global markets in record time.
“We want to see the benefits flow to patients and doctors worldwide, and to our shareholders, as soon as possible.
Ventracor will continue to keep the market informed of any material developments.
“Ventracor is well positioned to significantly improve the quality of life for hundreds of thousands of people worldwide suffering heart failure, by obtaining a substantial share of the LVAD market, which is expected to grow to between $US7.5 billion and $US12 billion annually in the next few years”, Mr Spooner said.
VCR
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