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INDONESIAN EYE, PARIS – Carmat, the world’s leading designer and developer of artificial hearts – which aims to provide therapeutic alternatives for patients with end-stage biventricular heart failure, today announced implants and the first sale of artificial hearts for patients from Italy.
Launching Business Wire, the heart implant was carried out by a team led by a cardiac surgeon Dr. Ciro Maiello at the Azienda Ospedaliera dei Colli hospital in Naples – one of the hospitals with the largest experience in the artificial heart field in the Land of Pizza.
This implant is the first sale ever recorded by Carmat since the company was founded in 2008. This is a milestone that opens a new chapter in the development of the French company.
In keeping with its 2021 strategy, Carmat intends to focus its marketing efforts on its artificial heart in Germany and tackle one or two other EU countries, including Italy, in a more opportunistic way.
To note, Carmat already received European CE recognition in December 2020 for selling Aeson’s artificial heart as a bridge to transplantation. By obtaining CE, a product is deemed to have complied with the requirements of the European Union’s safety, health and environmental protection standards.
“We are delighted to be the first center in the world to implant an artificial heart in a commercial setting. The operation was performed by Dr. Ciro Maiello and Dr. Cristiano Amarelli without any particular difficulties thanks to the excellent preparation and cooperation between our department and specialists from Carmat,” said Prof. Marisa De Feo, Director of the Department of General Cardiac Surgery and Transplant at Azienda Ospedaliera dei Colli.
“The patient is recovering well and, thanks to the combination of the device’s key features – pulse rate, hemocompatibility and self-regulation, we believe that the patient will have a speedy transition to the outpatient process. I would also like to take the opportunity to thank the entire Department of Cardiac Surgery and Azienda Ospedaliera dei Colli for continuing to innovate in the field of transplantation and mechanical assistance, and the Campania Region for supporting our program,” he said.
Carmat’s Chief Executive Officer, Stéphane Piat said that the first commercial heart implant was a major milestone in the company’s history. He also believes that Carman’s artificial heart can change lives and offer unique benefits to patients, compared to existing therapies.
The cost of the operation for the installation of an artificial heart reaches 150 thousand euros, or around Rp. 2.5 billion, which is borne by the regional health system. However, the national health system in Italy does not cover the treatment until it has been used for several years.
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