Heart failure

Edwards Lifesciences Reports Fourth Quarter Results

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 6, 2024

Edwards Lifesciences (NYSE: EW) today reported financial results for the quarter ended December 31, 2023.

Key Points: 
  • Edwards Lifesciences (NYSE: EW) today reported financial results for the quarter ended December 31, 2023.
  • In the fourth quarter, Edwards remained focused on its key value drivers to unlock the significant long-term opportunity for patients: a portfolio of differentiated therapies; positive clinical trial results to support approvals and adoption; and favorable real-world clinical outcomes.
  • Research and development expenses in the fourth quarter grew 16 percent over the prior year to $270 million, or 17.6 percent of sales.
  • During the fourth quarter, the company repurchased $444 million of stock through a combination of a pre-established trading plan and accelerated share repurchase programs.

Tenax Therapeutics Announces USPTO Grants Notice of Allowance for U.S. Patent Application, Significantly Broadening IP Protection for Use of Levosimendan in Pulmonary Hypertension with Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction (PH-HFpEF)

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 6, 2024

CHAPEL HILL, N.C., Feb. 06, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --  Tenax Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: TENX), a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on identifying, developing and commercializing products that address cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases with high unmet medical need, announced today that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has allowed its patent application with claims covering the use of TNX-103 (oral levosimendan), TNX-102 (subcutaneous levosimendan), TNX-101 (IV levosimendan), the active metabolites of levosimendan (OR1896 and OR18955) and various combinations of cardiovascular drugs with levosimendan when used to improve exercise performance in PH-HFpEF patients and, titled: ”LEVOSIMENDAN FOR TREATING PULMONARY HYPERTENSION WITH HEART FAILURE WITH PRESERVED EJECTION FRACTION (PH-HFpEF).”

Key Points: 
  • It also indicates that IP protection will be provided for the use of combinations with various cardiovascular drugs, when used in PH-HFpEF patients.
  • This provides additional rationale for the future development of various drug-drug combinations with levosimendan,” said Chris Giordano, President & Chief Executive Officer of Tenax Therapeutics.
  • With no drugs yet approved for PH-HFpEF, levosimendan has already demonstrated its unique mechanism of action, K+ATP activation, in these patients.
  • Patients who transitioned to the oral daily formulation after a lengthy treatment with the weekly IV formulation improved further in their 6-minute walk results.

Nudj Health Expands Virtual Cardiac Rehab Services to Patients with Ornish Lifestyle Medicine by Sharecare

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 6, 2024

Nudj Cardiac Complete, in partnership with Ornish Lifestyle Medicine by Sharecare, allows physician groups to provide cardiac rehab to patients at home thus increasing access, adoption and adherence to cardiac rehabilitation.

Key Points: 
  • Nudj Cardiac Complete, in partnership with Ornish Lifestyle Medicine by Sharecare, allows physician groups to provide cardiac rehab to patients at home thus increasing access, adoption and adherence to cardiac rehabilitation.
  • Nudj is increasing access, adoption and adherence to these vital cardiac rehab services and enabling physicians to meet their patients no matter where they are on their health journey.
  • Nudj Cardiac Complete includes three major care pathway service offerings:
    Cardiac Wellness/Risk Reduction: Using the evidence-based model of Collaborative Care, the Nudj Health American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) certified program delivers lifestyle and behavioral health modifications every month to patients.
  • I’m pleased that Nudj Health will now offer my intensive cardiac rehabilitation program virtually,” said Dean Ornish, M.D., founder of Ornish Lifestyle Medicine.

Study Results: MD Revolution and Cardiac Solutions Achieve 50% Reduction in 30-Day Cardiovascular Readmissions Using RevUp Remote Care Management

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 6, 2024

MD Revolution, the leader in remote care management solutions for health systems and multi-specialty clinics, announced today that its partner, Cardiac Solutions achieved a 50% reduction in hospital cardiovascular readmission rates by using RevUp Remote Patient Monitoring and Chronic Care Management as part of their program.

Key Points: 
  • MD Revolution, the leader in remote care management solutions for health systems and multi-specialty clinics, announced today that its partner, Cardiac Solutions achieved a 50% reduction in hospital cardiovascular readmission rates by using RevUp Remote Patient Monitoring and Chronic Care Management as part of their program.
  • View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240206196238/en/
    Patients that used RevUp Remote Care Management had significantly lower hospital readmission rate over time.
  • Starting from already low readmission rates, Cardiac Solutions achieved a 7% 30-day readmission rate for patients using RevUp remote care management vs. 15% for patients not enrolled, representing a 50% reduction in readmissions for patients using RevUp remote care management.
  • Additionally, MD Revolution provides a robust technology solution for clinicians who wish to administer their own remote care programs.

The uncertain fate of patients needing life-saving dialysis treatment in Gaza

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 6, 2024

The WHO says that, as of Jan. 5, there have been more than 600 attacks on health-care facilities, with 26 out of 36 hospitals in Gaza severely damaged and 79 ambulances targeted.

Key Points: 
  • The WHO says that, as of Jan. 5, there have been more than 600 attacks on health-care facilities, with 26 out of 36 hospitals in Gaza severely damaged and 79 ambulances targeted.
  • Over 300 health-care workers have been killed and over 200 have been detained by Israeli forces.
  • This leaves patients with chronic life-threatening diseases, such as cancer, heart failure and end-stage kidney disease, with severely limited access to the ongoing medical care they need to survive.

Patients unable to access care for chronic conditions

  • As nephrologists and internal medicine physicians, we are gravely concerned about patients in Gaza with chronic diseases who are unable to access care.
  • There are more than 1,100 dialysis patients, including 38 children, in Gaza.
  • Without adequate dialysis, fluid and toxins accumulate and patients typically die within days to weeks from respiratory failure or cardiac arrest.
  • But in a health-care system under assault, patients are fortunate to receive any dialysis at all.

Patients needing life-saving treatment

  • She then attempted to access dialysis at Al-Awda and Kamal Adwan hospitals, but both facilities had insufficient capacity to treat him.
  • This is a tremendous challenge for dialysis patients who are faced with the uncertainty of when, where or if they will access their life-saving therapy.
  • Anssam, age 12, was displaced from Jabaliya in northern Gaza to seek treatment in Deir El Balah in central Gaza.
  • She had gone 15 days without dialysis and had to leave with her mother to receive life-saving medical treatment.

Loss of medical personnel

  • Beyond the destruction of health-care facilities and a critical shortage of supplies, the loss of medical personnel may have the most devastating and longest-lasting impact on the health-care system in Gaza.
  • He had hopes to expand dialysis care in Gaza and build a nephrology educational training program.
  • His loss resonated far beyond his family, patients and colleagues in Gaza.
  • We join the UN, the WHO, MSF and the British Medical Association, along with millions around the world, who call for an immediate ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian aid.


The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Windtree Renews Agreement with Chang Gung University for Scientific Collaboration to Further SERCA2a Research

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 1, 2024

The scientific collaboration includes the Company’s lead product candidate istaroxime and the next generation compounds called SERCA2a activators.

Key Points: 
  • The scientific collaboration includes the Company’s lead product candidate istaroxime and the next generation compounds called SERCA2a activators.
  • SERCA2a activity is decreased in heart failure and disordered calcium handling can play a role in cardiac arrythmias.
  • Windtree believes activation of SERCA2a could represent an important advancement in heart failure treatment for patients.
  • Outside of this scientific collaboration, istaroxime is being studied in the Phase 2 SEISMiC Extension Study in early cardiogenic shock.

BioCardia Announces Two Scientific Abstracts Have Been Accepted at the 2024 Technology and Heart Failure Therapeutics Conference

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, January 31, 2024

The Company announces that two scientific abstracts on its CardiAMP and its CardiALLO clinical stage therapeutic programs have been accepted for presentation at the Technology and Heart Failure Therapeutics Conference (THT) being held on March 4-6, 2024, in Boston, MA.

Key Points: 
  • The Company announces that two scientific abstracts on its CardiAMP and its CardiALLO clinical stage therapeutic programs have been accepted for presentation at the Technology and Heart Failure Therapeutics Conference (THT) being held on March 4-6, 2024, in Boston, MA.
  • Both abstracts will be presented in the Late-Breaking Clinical Science/First-In-Human & Early Feasibility Studies session on Monday March 4, 2024.
  • Dr. Amish Raval, Professor of Medicine at the University of Wisconsin at Madison is the lead author on the abstract.
  • As previously reported, the CardiALLO Heart Failure study follows the Company’s earlier co-sponsored clinical studies of allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells for patients with ischemic heart failure of reduced ejection fraction.

AVROBIO and Tectonic Therapeutic Announce Merger

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, January 30, 2024

AVROBIO, Inc. (Nasdaq: AVRO) and Tectonic Therapeutic, Inc. (“Tectonic”), a privately-held biotechnology company developing GPCR (G-protein coupled receptor)-targeted therapeutic proteins, co-founded by Timothy A. Springer and Andrew C. Kruse of Harvard Medical School, today announced that the companies have entered into a definitive merger agreement to combine in an all-stock transaction (the “Merger”).

Key Points: 
  • AVROBIO, Inc. (Nasdaq: AVRO) and Tectonic Therapeutic, Inc. (“Tectonic”), a privately-held biotechnology company developing GPCR (G-protein coupled receptor)-targeted therapeutic proteins, co-founded by Timothy A. Springer and Andrew C. Kruse of Harvard Medical School, today announced that the companies have entered into a definitive merger agreement to combine in an all-stock transaction (the “Merger”).
  • Under the terms of the agreement, AVROBIO will acquire 100% of the outstanding equity interests of Tectonic.
  • The private placement is expected to close in conjunction with the Merger in the second quarter of 2024.
  • “We are delighted to merge with AVROBIO at this important time for Tectonic.

February's National Heart Health Month: 66 Hospitals Unite Nationwide under ACTION to Bridge Gaps in Pediatric Cardiac Care

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, January 31, 2024

CIINCINNATTI, Jan. 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sixty-six hospitals across the country have joined forces to enhance outcomes for pediatric heart patients.

Key Points: 
  • CIINCINNATTI, Jan. 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sixty-six hospitals across the country have joined forces to enhance outcomes for pediatric heart patients.
  • In the United States, pediatric heart failure, with over 14,000 hospitalizations annually, surpasses those due to pediatric cancer.
  • Enter ACTION , the Advanced Cardiac Therapies Improving Outcomes Network, a pioneering collaboration among pediatric heart failure hospitals nationwide.
  • For 2024, ACTION anticipates FDA approval of the Berlin Heart Active Driver, which is expected to revolutionize pediatric heart care.

Tampa General Hospital Is the First and Only in the Southeast to Complete Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement (TMVR) with AltaValve Technology

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, January 30, 2024

TAMPA, Fla., Jan. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Tampa General Hospital (TGH) celebrated excellent results from its first transcatheter mitral valve implant (TMVR), making it the first and only hospital in the Southeast to complete a mitral valve replacement procedure via a catheter. The patient suffered from severe mitral regurgitation (MR), a common heart disease that generally requires open heart surgery. The patient underwent the minimally invasive procedure in December at Tampa General's main campus on Davis Islands in downtown Tampa and was safely discharged after just two days.

Key Points: 
  • TAMPA, Fla., Jan. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Tampa General Hospital (TGH) celebrated excellent results from its first transcatheter mitral valve implant (TMVR), making it the first and only hospital in the Southeast to complete a mitral valve replacement procedure via a catheter.
  • "At Tampa General, we're pioneering new technologies that can save lives, especially for the patients with the highest risk," said John Couris, president and CEO of Tampa General Hospital.
  • "The transcatheter mitral valve replacement was made possible by a multidisciplinary team of best-in-class professionals who don't just meet standards of care; they establish them.
  • In preliminary clinical trials of the AltaValve, patients experienced significant improvement in heart function and a reduction in symptoms of mitral valve regurgitation.