September 21st 2021
The procedure was performed at UofL Health – Jewish Hospital by University of Louisville physicians in the first cohort of the U.S. Early Feasibility Study
Paris, September 21, 2021 – 7:00 am CEST
CARMAT (FR0010907956, ALCAR), the designer and developer of the world’s most advanced total artificial heart, aiming to fulfill an unmet medical need by providing a therapeutic alternative to people suffering from end-stage biventricular heart failure, announces the first implant of its bioprosthetic artificial heart, Aeson®, in a female recipient.
The implant procedure was performed by a team led by Dr. Mark S. Slaughter, Professor and Chair of the Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery at the University of Louisville and UofL Physician at Jewish Hospital, Louisville, Kentucky, within the framework of the first cohort of 3 patients of the U.S. Early Feasibility Study (EFS). The recipient is a 57-year-old woman who was suffering from severe biventricular heart failure and had undergone cardiac surgery several years before.
Mark S. Slaughter, MD, heart surgeon at UofL Health – Jewish Hospital and University of Louisville, and principal investigator of the study, stated: “The Aeson® artificial heart is compact enough to fit inside smaller chest cavities, more frequently found in women, which gives hope to a wider variety of men and women waiting for a heart transplant and increases the chances for success. With our second Aeson® implant within one month, we are quickly gaining experience, including patients who underwent previous cardiac surgery, and continue to be impressed by the performance of the device.”
Stéphane Piat, Chief Executive Officer of CARMAT, concluded: “This 3rd implant in the US was a landmark event not only because it allowed us to finalize the enrollment of the first cohort of patients of the EFS, but very importantly because it is the first time ever that our device has helped a woman suffering from heart failure. This achievement confirms that the size limitations for adults are minimal, which makes us very confident in Aeson®’s potential to become a therapy of choice for a broad patient population.”