Overview

Ventracor is a global medical device company which produces an implantable blood pump, the VentrAssist left ventricular assist device, as a therapy to improve the lives of heart failure patients and their families.

Ventracor is dedicated to becoming the partner of choice for healthcare professionals to make the VentrAssist the standard-of-care worldwide. The company’s first product is the VentrAssist, a left ventricular assist device (LVAD). An LVAD is an implantable blood pump, controller, power pack and a programming and monitoring system. VentrAssist is approved for sale in Europe and is in clinical trials for approval in the United States of America.

Business Opportunities

The global market for LVADs is patients with end stage congestive heart failure (CHF) who have few options. The only clinically proven long term therapy is a heart transplant, without which the outcome is invariably fatal. Patients who are eligible for heart transplantation but are awaiting a donor heart may degenerate very rapidly. Temporary LVAD support for these patients is referred to as Bridge to Transplant (BTT).

Long term support for patients with end stage heart failure who are ineligible for heart transplant (eg: age, presence of co-morbidities) is referred to as Destination Therapy (DT).

The clinical distinction between BTT and DT is blurring, as heart transplant waiting lists become longer and longer. The world wide potential market for LVADs is estimated to be more than 50,000 patients per year, mostly DT. Market growth has been limited by shortcomings of the only device with FDA approval for DT.

Technology/Products and Services Description

The VentrAssist is the first third generation LVAD and the first centrifugal LVAD to be the subject of US clinical trials.

Competitive Advantages

• Frictionless, hydrodynamic rotor suspension for no mechanical wear
• Very low thrombosis risk, insignificant hemolysis
• Performance mimics normal physiology to the body’s changing needs
• Pump output is adequate for a wide range of patients
• Small size also makes it suitable for a range of body sizes.

Website address: www.ventracor.com