MI-VAD, Inc., a Rochester, Minnesota based company announced it’s selection as a finalist in the prestigious “Innovation in Cardiovascular Interventions” (ICI) 2019 competition in Tel Aviv. MI-VAD presented its innovative ventricular assist device (“VAD”) that aims to transform the treatment of end stage heart failure, increase longevity, alleviate suffering and improve the quality of life for heart failure patients. During the three-day conference, 14 finalist companies presented from more than a hundred entrants. The finalists were chosen by a panel of physicians, medical experts and venture capitalists.

Heart failure (HF) is a progressive condition in which the heart’s muscle becomes weakened after injury. As the condition worsens, quality of life diminishes. It is a global epidemic affecting more than 5.7 million Americans 10 million Europeans with the number of cases increasing due to an increasingly sedentary population; epidemics of diabetes and obesity from diet, and a growing population of the elderly who are particularly susceptible.

When lifestyle changes, medication and surgical intervention are unable to slow progression, heart transplantation is the only permanent treatment modality. However, with limited donor hearts available (~2,500 – 3,000 per annum in US), and with waiting list eligibility that excludes elderly and those with other health conditions, transplantation is an option for a select few. Consequently, VAD products have been developed and introduced to provide circulatory assistance when transplantation is not available. A VAD is a mechanical circulatory system employed to partially or completely substitute for the function of a failing heart, to increase blood flow.

“While the current generation of VADs have extended lives and enhanced the quality of life for patients there remains a need for a new generation of VADs to drive significant improvement in clinical outcomes resulting in increased longevity and enhanced quality of life for HF sufferers” said Dr. Sudhir Kushwaha, founder and CEO of MI-VAD. MI-VAD represents a paradigm shift in VAD technology and a conceptual approach that is truly novel. MI-VAD Chairman Paul E. Heney stated; “we are thrilled to be recognized for developing a product with the potential to shift the VAD paradigm and shape the future of heart failure care, by this impressive international forum. The recognition and validation of our work by our peers is very rewarding and motivating. Our next generation VAD aims to significantly reduce heart failure treatment costs while improving patient outcomes in an established worldwide VAD market that in 2017 was estimated at US$1 billion, and is growing annually at a double-digit rate.”

About MI-VAD:
MI-VAD, Inc. is a privately owned Rochester, Minnesota based company that is continuing its development of a revolutionary mechanical blood circulatory device or blood pump known as a ventricular assist device (or “VAD”) for heart failure patients that is minimally invasive. The Company was born from our CEO’s experience in managing a team of cardiologists and cardiac surgeons providing mechanical circulatory support therapy and cardiac transplantation to patients at a world leading healthcare institution that has been at the forefront in the delivery of advanced therapy for severe and end-stage heart failure. MI-VAD was founded as a result of an awareness of the significant limitations of the currently used VAD platforms, with the aim to create a device that would overcome the clinical shortcomings of the current generation of VADs and would be applicable to all types of heart failure, including both dilated and restrictive cardiomyopathy.

Media Contact:
Paul E. Heney
+971-553305842
paul@mivadinc.com
SOURCE: MI-VAD