Austria’s Miracor Medical Systems is boosting its presence in the U.K. with a new sales office and 2 clinical trials of its heart attack-treatment device.

The maker of the PICSO impulse system said it launched a sales subsidiary in Manchester, U.K., even as a number of providers in the U.K. are already using the device. Miracor CEO Ludwig Gold explained in prepared remarks that the expansion will allow it to serve its existing U.K. customer base but also expand its sales efforts.

Miracor also said it’s pursuing 2 U.K.-based clinical studies designed to gather new data about PISCO’s effectiveness in heart attack patients when used in daily clinical practice in addition to percutaneous coronary intervention. Based on early data, combining both may reduce the size of heart attacks in some patients, Miracor said.

Researchers are pursuing the trials at 3 U.K. hospitals, the company said.

PISCO, which is meant for use with patients dealing with a form of acute heart attack or a less serious version, is designed to intermittently block the coronary sinus to deliver more blood to the myocardium, helping to reduce heart attack-related injuries.

Miracor launched in May 2008. Its investors include Austria Wirtschaftsservice, German venture capital investor SHS Gesellschaft für Beteiligungsmanagement, plus Earlybird and Delta Partners.