Two teams of researchers have developed miniature models of the human heart that beat and function like the full-size organ. The team from Michigan State University (MSU) and Washington University in St. Louis developed a human heart organoid (hHO) that recapitulates embryonic heart development, providing an unmatched view into congenital heart defects. The organoid created by the researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) and Clemson University mimics the tissue dysfunction that occurs following a heart attack.

San Carlos, Calif.-based Galaxy Medical Inc., which has developed pulsed electric field (PEF) technology for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias, revealed the first treatments in the ECLIPSE-AF study, which is evaluating the Centauri system. The trial will assess the safety and efficacy of the Centauri as the company looks forward to obtaining a CE mark.

Shares in Cytokinetics Inc. closed down 42% Oct. 8 on news that omecamtiv mecarbil, a heart failure drug which it is developing with Amgen Inc. (with funding and strategic support from Les Laboratoires Servier SAS), failed to demonstrate a survival benefit in a large-scale cardiovascular outcomes study.

Biosense Webster Inc. reported U.S. FDA approval of its Thermocool Smarttouch SF ablation catheter for the treatment of patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (persistent AF). This follows results of the prospective, multicenter Precept study, which showed the catheter to be safe and effective for 80% of patients over 15 months of ablation therapy with clinically meaningful improvement in quality of life.

PERTH, Australia – Astrazeneca plc is leasing 175 Sozo devices from Impedimed Ltd. and plans to put them in 20 countries to run phase II trials for a combination drug that looks at fluid imbalance in the human body in patients with heart failure (HF) and chronic kidney disease.

PERTH, Australia – Astrazeneca plc is leasing 175 Sozo devices from Impedimed Ltd. and plans to put them in 20 countries to run phase II trials for a combination drug that looks at fluid imbalance in the human body in patients with heart failure (HF) and chronic kidney disease.

Cytokinetics Inc. as a competitor for Myokardia Inc.’s cardiovascular drug, mavacamten, didn’t come up until near the end of the conference call related to the $13.1 billion buyout of the latter company by Bristol Myers Squibb Co., but the prospect is on Wall Street’s mind.