A pair of Canadian women, aged 87 and 71, became the 1st non-European patients to receive treatment with JenaValve Technology‘s new transcatheter aortic valve implantation system.
JenaValve’s 2nd-generation transapical TAVI device is surgically implanted in the natural aortic valve cavity, and features an anchoring and clipping mechanism to ensure the device stays in place.
JenaValve, with co-headquarters in Wilmington, Del., and Munich, Germany, already sells its 2nd-generation TAVI system in Europe. The company also has its eye on the U.S. and Chinese markets, promising to set aside much of its recent $63.5 million Series C funding round to expand its footprint outside of Europe.
JenaValve is an early-stage device company looking to compete with giants in the medical device world. In the billion dollar TAVI market, Edwards Lifesciences (NYSE:EW) and Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) take the lead, followed closely by St. Jude Medical (NYSE:STJ) and Boston Scientific (NYSE:BSX).
Collectively, the TAVI technology brings in $1 billion in sales worldwide and is projected to grow to $3 billion by 2016, according to a Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research report.
JenaValve is slated to begin new clinical trials for the transapical TAVI system later in 2013 and expects to put the product on the market in Canada in 2014, according to a press release.
"Our current goal is to expand with our 2nd-generation TAVI device worldwide, to bring a transfemoral and transaortic device to market in 2014, to offer physicians and patients a safe and efficient therapy option," CEO Helmut Straubinger said in the prepared statement.
