Cardiost develops implantable medical devices addressing advanced-stage heart failure and acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The LAUD device functions as a mechanical circulatory support system by unloading the left atrium into the aorta, targeting HFpEF patients. ThromBust is an implantable system that automatically delivers thrombolytic therapy upon detecting a heart attack, aiming for immediate in-body intervention.
Funding
Funding not disclosed
Founders
Product
Problem
Patients with late-stage heart failure often face limited and highly invasive treatment options. Existing mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices have limitations, including highly invasive procedures, driveline-related complications, and limited compatibility with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) patients, for whom no FDA-approved MCS solutions exist. Additionally, current AMI interventions often result in delayed treatment, leading to increased mortality and long-term complications.
Solution
Cardiost is developing two implantable cardiovascular devices: the Left Atrium Unloading Device (LAUD) and ThromBust. LAUD is a fully implantable, durable MCS device designed for thoracoscopic implantation, unloading the left atrium into the descending aorta to reduce pulmonary congestion and increase cardiac output without direct left ventricle manipulation. ThromBust is a first-in-class AMI-response system that detects heart attacks in real time and automatically delivers thrombolytic therapy, significantly reducing pain-to-needle time. These devices aim to provide less-invasive, more effective solutions for advanced heart failure and acute myocardial infarction, improving patient outcomes and quality of life.
Target Audience
The primary target audience includes patients with late-stage heart failure (NYHA Class III-IV or AHA Stage D), particularly those with HFpEF, and high-risk patients prone to acute myocardial infarction (AMI) as well as cardiac surgeons and hospitals.
Features
- LAUD:
- Fully implantable mechanical circulatory support device
- Designed for thoracoscopic implantation, avoiding open-heart surgery
- Unloads the left atrium (LA) into the descending aorta
- Reduces pulmonary congestion and increases cardiac output
- Avoids direct left ventricle (LV) manipulation
- ThromBust:
- Implantable AMI-response system
- Real-time heart attack detection
- Automatic delivery of thrombolytic therapy
- Reduces pain-to-needle time to under 5 minutes
- Both:
- Designed to improve quality of life and reduce hospitalizations
- Supported by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations for design optimization