December 13, 2007 - World Heart Corp., a developer of implantable mechanical circulatory support systems for chronic heart failure patients, announced its strategic alliance with Abiomed Inc., a leading manufacturer of devices for acute circulatory support.
WorldHeart and Abiomed currently serve complementary segments of the circulatory support market. This alliance is expected to benefit heart failure patients and treatment providers, promoting synergies between the two organizations in a number of areas, including:
- Products - WorldHeart's Novacor pulsatile LVAS and the Levacor Rotary VAD are designed to provide long-term support for chronic heart failure patients. Intended for use as a bridge to transplant or for destination (life-long) therapy, implant durations typically range from months to years. Abiomed markets a number of devices targeting primarily recovery applications,where support duration is measured in hours, days or months.The portfolios of the two companies collectively span the full spectrum of mechanical circulatory support needs, with implant durations ranging from hours to years, and from partial to total support.
- Clinical Relationships - The recipients of WorldHeart's chronic support devices are under the care of heart failure cardiologists and cardiac surgeons. Abiomed's products are administered by interventional cardiologists as well as cardiac surgeons.Collectively, the two companies have access to a broad base of clinical customers addressing a wide range of cardiac conditions.
- Marketing and Clinical Support - The two companies expect to be able to reach a broader customer base and provide an efficient and high level of clinical support.
- Technology - The companies also expect to explore opportunities for technology collaborations. The transcutaneous (across-the-skin) energy transfer system and implanted electronics developed for the AbioCor total heart potentially could be adapted to the Levacor, eliminating any wires through the skin to reduce the associated infection risk.
For more information: www. worldheart.com, www.abiomed.com
June 19, 2024 
