CorWave, a startup focused on the development of blood pumps based on wave membrane technology announced the results for its Left Ventricle Assist Device (LVAD) at the European Mechanical Circulatory Support (EUMS) Summit in Paris
The CorWave pump includes pulsatility and a blood speed close to the physiological pace while requiring low-invasive surgery.
These benefits should reduce adverse effects allowing for the treatment of more patients according to CorWave.
The results were presented in a poster session at EUMS, held from December 2-5, 2015.
The data presented showed that the pump will be able to fully support a patient in pulsatile mode based on the high hydraulic power generated by the pump and its ability to instantly change flow rate.
The CorWave physiologic pulsatile function has been proven to be successful in in vitro and in vivo environments.
CorWave is working on an alternative LVAD to rotary pumps. It has developed a system based on a wave membrane.
The undulating polymer membrane gently pushes the blood on both sides of a membrane, from the outer edge to the inner orifice, where it exits the pump.
The instantaneous change in output of the CorWave pump produces a pulsatile flow that mimics the action of the heart.
Despite its small size, the CorWave device can pump 4 to 10L/min and totally replace heart function according to CorWave.
The blood velocity induced by the pump (1.5m/sec) is similar to the blood velocity of a healthy heart and much lower than the ones observed in rotary pumps (4-10 m/sec).
Carl Botterbusch, CTO of CorWave, said: “We believe the gentle movement of the membrane will allow for less alteration of the blood, leading to fewer complications.”
Louis de Lillers, CEO of CorWave, said: “In just a few years, the CorWave R&D team has excelled at building a paradigm changing LVAD.
“The next step is to further optimise the device through extensive in vitro and in vivo tests prior to the first-in-man implant.”