Thoratec (NSDQ:THOR) said today that the 1st patient was implanted with its HeartMate III left ventricular assist device in a clinical trial it hopes to use to back its bid for European market approval.
The latest iteration in the HeartMate line harnesses the magnetic levitation technology acquired from Levitronix back in 2011. It’s designed to lower adverse event rates via "improved hemocompatibility," according to a press release.
"We are pleased to reach this significant clinical milestone with an important pipeline product," president & CEO Gary Burbach said in prepared remarks. "We are also excited about the potential for HeartMate III to advance heart failure therapy, improve clinical outcomes and enhance the patient experience."
Thoratec paid $110 million up front for the Levitronix magnetically levitated bearing-free motors technology in August 2011, putting another $40 million in potential earnouts on the table.
The 50-patient trial’s endpoints include a primary endpoint of 6-month survival compared with estimated mortality based on the Seattle Heart Failure Model, Thoratec said.