Biophan Acquires Rights to Cardiac Device

The marketing and distribution rights to a new cardiac-assist device developed by MyoTech (Henrietta, NY, USA) have been acquired by Biophan Technologies, Inc. (Rochester, NY, USA).

Under the terms of the agreement, Biophan will also direct all future Myotech development programs. In addition, Biophan has acquired a substantial minority interest in Myotech, with the right to acquire a controlling interest.

The Myo-VAD (ventricular-assist device) is the first in a family of products based on direct mechanical ventricular actuation (DMVA) technology. This consists of a flexible polymer cup that fits around the heart, coupled to a drive unit that pumps the heart to restore blood flow. By not coming into direct contact with circulating blood, this VAD promises to provide advantages over existing VADs by eliminating most of the serious and potentially fatal problems, including clotting/stroke, bleeding, and infection. The Myo-VAD is simple to insert and remove, has lower rates of complication, and costs less.

"A previous version of the technology has been installed in over 700 animals and helped to save human lives in emergency-use situations,” noted Michael Weiner, CEO of Biophan. "It is an exciting technology that Myotech has substantially improved. While existing VADs usually address only one aspect of heart failure, typically by assessing the emptying of the left ventricle, the Myo-VAD is designed to provide support for both filling and emptying each of the right and left ventricles. This is a critically important capability, since many forms of heart failure affect more than simply emptying the left ventricle.” The company believes this broad range of capability will extend the potential uses of the device to treat forms of both acute and chronic heart failure, including congestive heart failure.”




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