Goal
The primary goal of the project "Intelligent materials for in-situ heart valve tissue engineering" (ImaValve) is to develop a bio-degradable synthetic heart valve stent that gradually changes in vivo into a living, durable aorta heart valve that lasts a lifetime. This heart valve stent is delivered with a minimally-invasive transcatheter system. ImaValve brings together our entire knowledge, from fundamental research to all the necessary (pre-clinical) steps, to enable a first-in-man study after completion of the project.
Advantages of ImaValve
- Improved quality of life through avoidance of the need for subsequent operations on young and adult patients thanks to the lifetime durability of the ImaValve valves.
- Avoidance of the need for chronic anticoagulation therapy, which leads to a significant reduction in morbidity (e.g. stroke).
- Possibility of minimally-invasive implantation of a heart valve replacement in patients who are younger than 65.
- Innovative biomaterials: New generation of slowly-degrading, supramolecular, elastomer materials and rapidly-degradable bioactive hydrogel materials.
- Contributes to the attainment of EU policies by managing the effects of healthy aging: The reduction in life expectancy currently experienced by up to 50% of patients in relation to current heart valve implants is avoided by the ImaValve solution.
medicut provides:
- Transcatheter system – from idea to final product.
- Design and modification of the heart valve stent.
- Technical support for preclinical tests.