Shanghai, China – 26 September, 2014 – Shanghai MicroPort Medical (Group) Co., Ltd. ("MicroPort") successfully completed the first clinical trial of implanting its in-house developed artificial aortic heart valve in Shanghai Zhongshan Hospital on 24 September.
The aortic valve was implanted using a revolutionary interventional procedure that doesn't need to open the patient's chest. The procedure, called Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement ("TAVR"), works in a similar way of heart stent implantation – the interventional cardiologist uses a catheter to deliver a collapsible valve to heart and makes the new valve expand to take over the job of regulating blood flow.
With less pain and faster recovery, TAVR could bring better experience for patients in most cases. For patients who are too sick or too old for conventional operations, it could mean a life-saving opportunity. However, currently the patients in China can't receive TAVR, because there is no approved transcatheter valve in Chinese market now.
In that case, MicroPort's high-quality and affordable valve is expected to allow more Chinese patients to enjoy the benefits of TAVR. Its self-expanding transcatheter aortic valve is designed to have better coaxial, anchoring and crossing ability, and most importantly it can reduce perivalvular leak. It is also easier to use with motorized handle.
"I believe MicroPort's domestically made valve could reduce the cost of the treatment and promote the use of TAVR," said Junbo Ge, Director of Cardiology in Shanghai Zhongshan Hospital. He noted, with an aging population, China will see more people suffer from aortic valve diseases and need the treatment of TAVR. It is estimated that there are 1 million elderly patients with the disease in the country.
"With our valve, MicroPort hopes to promote the development in clinical application of TAVR so as to benefit more patients in China," said Qiyi Luo, Chief Technology Officer of MicroPort Scientific Corporation. "The first successful implantation also marks that MicroPort's research and development ability has reached a new level."
MicroPort will continue its clinical trial of the independently developed Transcatheter Aortic Valve in leading hospitals across China in the next two or three years to ensure its safety and efficacy.