Technology Pipeline

A key feature of HeartWare's technology platform is the ability to miniaturize the pump mechanism without an expectation that clinical performance of the system will be compromised.  Based on this platform, the key focus of HeartWare's Advanced Product Development team is to develop a family of further miniaturized devices, implantable by progressively less invasive surgery.  We believe that by reducing the invasiveness of the procedure, we have the potential to dramatically expand the use of mechanical circulatory support systems for the treatment of heart failure.

In addition to the focus on pump miniaturization, HeartWare is also developing implantable electronics systems based on Transcutaneous Energy Transfer (TET) technology. 

The HeartWare MVADTM Pump

HeartWare's MVADTM Pump is a development-stage axial flow pump, approximately one third the size of the HVADTM Pump.  The MVADTM is based on the same proprietary impeller suspension technology used in the HVADTM Pump, with its single moving part held in place through a combination of passive-magnetic and hydrodynamic forces.  Like the HVADTM Pump, the MVADTM Pump is designed to support the heart's full cardiac output. Implantation of the MVADTM Pump will require less invasive surgery than that required to implant currently available devices. In particular, the MVADTM Pump will be implanted without the need for a median sternotomy of the rib cage. By reducing the invasiveness of the surgery, HeartWare expects to treat a greater proportion of heart failure patients and to access patients at an earlier stage of their disease progression. The MVADTM Pump has been shown over a series of pre-clinical studies to have comparable blood flow characteristics to the HVADTM Pump.  Three different versions of the device are currently being progressed through animal studies.  All three have the identical pump mechanism, but they differ in terms of cannula design, implant positioning and surgical procedure.  After all designs have been evaluated, HeartWare will select a preferred configuration and advance the chosen design towards clinical development.

TETS

In parallel with HeartWare's pump development activities, significant R&D effort is allocated to the enhancement of HeartWare's electronics and controller technologies.  A key focus is the development of a Transcutaneous Energy Transfer System ("TETS").

TETS technology enables a fully implanted battery pack to be periodically recharged using induction across the skin.  This will allow implantation of the complete system, including batteries and controllers, and will eliminate the current need for an externalised driveline and external electronics and peripherals.  The aim of the program is to enable patients implanted with a HeartWare device to be free of any external charging system for up to several hours at a time.

The TETS platform is being developed to be compatible across all HeartWare pump designs.  HeartWare's TETS system is at working protoype stage.