SynCardia announced today that it has received a second patent for its fully implantable artificial heart technology. The company, based in Tucson, Arizona, previously secured its first patent (no. 11,918,797) for the next-generation Emperor total artificial heart in March. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has now issued a second patent (no. 12,121,711 B2) for the Emperor heart.
Both patents focus on innovative technology designed to eliminate external drive mechanisms. This advancement aims to fully integrate the pumping mechanism within the implanted artificial heart ventricle.
SynCardia currently produces two sizes of total artificial hearts (TAHs), 50cc and 70cc. Matt Schuster, the company’s COO and inventor of the technology, stated that the fully implantable versions being developed will match or exceed the cardiac output of both existing models while maintaining energy requirements similar to those of a human heart.
Schuster described the Emperor as “a truly pulsatile and balanced system.” It uses blood-contacting volume displacement technology and removes the need for an external pneumatic driver. He called this development a “potential complete game-changer for patients and the field.”
Patrick NJ Schnegelsberg, CEO of SynCardia, emphasized the company’s commitment to advancing technology for heart failure patients worldwide. “Our mission is to develop the Emperor as the world’s first fully implantable SynCardia Total Artificial Heart (STAH), providing an alternative to heart transplantation,” he said. “This second patent highlights SynCardia’s leadership in the artificial heart sector and our extensive clinical experience with over 2,000 patients implanted with our current FDA-approved version of the STAH.”
SynCardia’s innovations aim to enhance treatment options for patients suffering from severe heart failure, potentially transforming their quality of life while they await suitable donor hearts.
Related topics:
- Virginia Tech Researchers Investigate Protein to Enhance Heart Failure Treatments
- UNSW Researchers Receive Funding for Innovative Heart Research
- Medicare Now Covers Blood Test for Heart Failure Diagnosis