France based designer and developer of artificial hearts, CARMAT has reportedly announced the first successful implantation of its bioprosthetic artificial heart in Denmark. The implantation was carried out at the Heart Center of Rigshospitalet situated in Copenhagen. CARMAT is considered to be the most advanced artificial heart project and an effective response to the problem of end-stage heart failure.

For the record, Rigshospitalet is the world’s first Danish hospital to perform total artificial heart implantation and is the third international medical center contributing to CARMAT’s PIVOTAL study after the Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine located in Czech Republic and the National Research Center for Cardiac Surgery in Kazakhstan.

Finn Gustafsson, Professor of Advanced Heart Failure and Transplantation at the Heart Center of Rigshospitalet, has expressed the center’s desire to contribute to the PIVOTAL study by gaining clinical experience with CARMAT. Gustafsson has further added that CARMAT’s total artificial heart has autoregulation, hemocompatibility, and silent operation and proves to be an effective alternative to heart transplantation.

Stephane Piat, the CEO of CARMAT, has appreciated Rigshospitalet’s expertise in treating advanced heart failure in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. The PIVOTAL study marks thirteen successful implantations of the device across the three study centers and estimates a period of 4 to 5 months to reach the total of 20 patients, claims Piat.

CARMAT’s total artificial heart has a unique self-regulation system, pulsatile nature, and is made up of highly biocompatible materials. This device has the potential to save the lives of thousands of patients every year. The project has a backing of the European Commission and has been granted a subsidy of € 33 million.

Citing good clinical practices and regulatory obligations, CARMAT has not yet disclosed individual updates regarding the implantation and the patients’ health conditions. However, in the years to come, it plans to unveil major milestones in the PIVOTAL study such as the development of new centers and the overall advancement in patient recruitment.

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https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200524005006/en/CARMAT-Announces-Implantation-Total-Artificial-Heart-Denmark