PERTH, Australia – Stem cell therapy company Mesoblast Ltd. provided new subgroup analyses from its phase III advanced chronic heart failure trial showing a greater treatment benefit from rexlemestrocel-L in high-risk patients with chronic heart failure and low ejection fraction (HFrEF) with diabetes or ischemia.

Intervene Inc. received breakthrough device designation from the FDA for its treatment for chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), Blueleaf endovenous valve formation system, which makes new venous valves in the leg using the patient’s own vein tissue. The catheter-based system splits and stretches the vein wall to create a new leaflet. In a recently published study, 14 patients underwent the procedure, of which 13 successfully had at least one new valve created. No patients experienced adverse events during the procedure and no deep venous thromboses developed through a one-year follow up period.

Venus Medtech (Hangzhou) Inc. reported it has acquired 100% equity interest and corresponding equity in Cardiovalve Ltd. for $300 million. Or Yehuda, Israel-based Cardiovalve produces the Cardiovalve system, a transcatheter interventional replacement product for mitral or tricuspid regurgitation.

Stereotaxis Corp. reported positive results showing its robotic magnetic navigation (RMN) system significantly reduces the incidence of silent cerebral embolism (SCE) in patients undergoing atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation vs. hand-held catheters. The prospective, multicenter study is believed to be the first to compare AF ablation using RMN with manual control and to highlight the benefit in lowering SCE risk.

PARIS – Orixha SAS raised $2.25 million to bolster development of its Vent2cool medical device, pulmonary ventilation technology used in critical care settings. Investment company Erganeo SAS, the Angels Santé business angels group and three French industrial partners – Infiplast SAS, OEM Development SAS and Activation SAS – all participated in the round.

TORONTO – Opsens Inc. has successfully treated 20 patients in the first-in-human study employing a new surgical guidewire to improve procedural workflow during transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). According to Opsens CEO Louis Laflamme, the Savvywire will be the first guidewire to deliver a valvular prosthesis while allowing continuous hemodynamic pressure measurement during the procedure.

In the Dec. 3, 2021, issue of Science, researchers reported that a missense variant that is highly enriched in the Amish population was associated with reduced levels of both LDL cholesterol and fibrinogen. To date, very few variants have been identified that affect more than one risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

In the December 3, 2021, issue of Science, researchers reported that a missense variant that is highly enriched in the Amish population was associated with reduced levels of both LDL cholesterol and fibrinogen. To date, very few variants have been identified that affect more than one risk factor for cardiovascular disease.