2022 AWARD RECIPIENTS
PCR INNOVATORS DAY
Watch the interview of Dr. Jonathan Schwartz, VP Jon DeHaan Foundation, and Jiayue Huang. Huang's team, Pulse Medical, won our Award for Innovation in Cardiology and the EuroPCR Innovation Competition for their work with real-time comprehensive assessment of coronary physiology and biomechanics from a single angiographic projection.
TCT 2022
Puzzle Medical Devices Inc. Wins TCT 2022 Shark Tank Innovation Competition
BOSTON – September 19, 2022 – The Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF) is pleased to announce that Puzzle Medical Devices Inc. has won the TCT 2022 Shark Tank Innovation Competition for its novel circulatory support device that is implanted percutaneously in the abdominal aorta. The competition took place during Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT), the world’s premier educational meeting specializing in interventional cardiovascular medicine. The winner was also presented with the Jon DeHaan Foundation Award for Innovation in Cardiology.
“We are excited to name Puzzle Medical as this year’s TCT Shark Tank Innovation Competition winner,” said Juan F. Granada, MD, President and Chief Executive Officer of CRF, the sponsor of TCT. “Their ModulHeart device has the potential to change the course of treatment for heart failure patients in a minimally invasive way.”
The ModulHeart device provides hemodynamic support through three endovascular pumps inserted in series and assembled in parallel into a self-expandable anchor implanted in the descending aorta. Results from the device’s first-in-human study were published on September 17, 2022 and showed 100% procedural success in four patients. In addition, cardiac output increased by 25%, urine output increased by nine-fold, and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure decreased by 78%.
“It is an honor to be recognized by CRF and the Jon DeHaan Foundation,” said Jade Doucet-Martineau, Co-founder and CEO of Puzzle Medical Devices, Inc. “Our team is grateful to have been chosen from the other innovative companies that presented at this year’s TCT Shark Tank Innovation Competition. With the successful completion of our first in-human study, further investigations are underway using the ModulHeart device.”
“Now in its ninth year, the TCT Shark Tank Innovation Competition was created to highlight the most innovative device concepts and technological developments with the potential to disrupt the cardiovascular field and dramatically change how patients are treated,” said Greg L. Kaluza, MD, PhD, Senior Director of Research, CRF Skirball Center for Innovation. “This year six companies were chosen to present their technologies at the TCT 2022 Shark Tank. A distinguished panel of multidisciplinary experts judged the entrants on the six criteria established for the competition at its inception: unmet clinical need, technology differentiation, IP position/viability, biological proof of concept, regulatory pathway, and commercialization potential.”
For the fifth year in a row, the TCT Shark Tank Innovation Competition partnered with the Jon DeHaan
Foundation to provide a $200,000 award for the winner. The Jon DeHaan Foundation is dedicated to supporting those working to advance cardiac medicine and provides grants and awards to individuals and companies who focus on innovative developments in cardiovascular medicine, including research, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, or rehabilitation.
“We are delighted to support the ground-breaking work of Puzzle Medical as it has the potential to benefit countless heart failure patients and we wish them the best of luck as they continue their research endeavors,” said Robert Schwartz, MD, President of the Jon DeHaan Foundation. “The DeHaan Foundation remains committed to its primary mission of supporting cardiovascular disease and medical innovation and our partnership with CRF and TCT is an ideal collaboration to further this goal.”
“CRF is truly grateful to the Jon DeHaan Foundation for their continued support of pioneers in the field dedicated to developing novel technologies for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases,” added Dr. Granada.
About CRF and TCT
The Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF) is one of the world’s leading nonprofit organizations specializing in interventional cardiology innovation, research, and education. CRF is dedicated to helping doctors improve survival and quality of life for people suffering from heart and vascular disease. For over 30 years, CRF has helped accelerate medical breakthroughs and educated doctors on the latest treatments for heart disease. CRF’s centers of excellence include the CRF Skirball Center for Innovation, CRF Clinical Trials Center, CRF Center for Education, CRF Digital, TCTMD, and Structural Heart: The Journal of the Heart Team.
Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) is the annual scientific symposium of CRF and the premier educational meeting specializing in interventional cardiovascular medicine. Now in its 34th year, TCT features major medical research breakthroughs and gathers leading researchers and clinicians from around the world to present and discuss the latest evidence-based research in the field.
For more information, visit www.crf.org and www.tctconference.com.
ICI MEETING
Two Winners Announced at ICI Innovators Day
TEL AVIV – December 2022 - The Foundation once again provided grants in support of innovative cardiac tech development at ICI Meeting. Twelve companies were given the opportunity to present to leaders in the industry while competing for this prestigious award. Of those, two were chosen as winners of the Foundation’s Award for Innovation in Cardiology. Acorai AB out of Sweden was awarded first place and $150,000.00; while Append Medical from Israel won second place and $50,000.00.
Acorai AB has developed an intracardiac pressure monitoring system. Their SAVE sensor system is described on their website as being able to “to provide continuous and actionable information to support decision-making across all stages of heart failure.” It is meant to provide end-to-end patient monitoring and an analytic suite. The SAVE system is undergoing clinical trials.
Append Medical has developed a trans-septal left atrial appendage closure device. Their implantable device is designed to reduce the risk of stroke in patients suffering from atrial fibrillation. The company is a portfolio company of MEDX Xelerator, a medical device and digital health incubator in Israel.
The Foundation is proud to support these two companies in their efforts. Says Tom DeHaan, “Our goal is to recognize companies that are pushing innovation in the field. It is important to understand that real innovation requires time, commitment, and tenacity by those pushing the needle forward. We are eager to see these two companies succeed.” The Foundation encourages companies with innovative ideas to apply to not only ICI’s Innovators Day Competition but also to the other events that we support. For more information on our upcoming events, follow the link.