CorMatrix Cardiovascular (Atlanta,GA) recently received three US patents for replacement heart valves that utilize extracellular matrices (ECM). Medgadget previously reported the FDA 510(k) approval of CorMatrix’s technology for the repair of carotid tissue. The ECM technology also has been FDA approved for cardiac tissue repair and pericardial closure applications.
Extracellular matrix or ECM is the naturally-occurring bioscaffold that surrounds cells in most tissues and organs, playing both structural and functional roles. The ECM biomaterial developed by CorMatrix supports native tissue repair by providing an interim bioscaffold, that enables a patient’s own cells to repopulate and repair damaged tissues. CorMatrix ECM is created from porcine small intestinal submucosa (SIS), a harvestable ECM freely occurring in nature. After a cardiac surgeon implants the CorMatrix ECM, it helps remodel, regrow and restore damaged tissue through a process of signaling the body, providing resistance to infection, enabling complete remodeling and providing long term strength. According to the company website, CorMatrix ECM Technology has been used at more than 720 hospitals across the U.S. and has been implanted during nearly 80,000 cardiac procedures.
With the latest announcement of the three patents for heart valve biomaterial, it appears that the company is expanding its product portfolio to treat heart valve disease using its ECM technology. Diseases of the aortic and mitral valves are estimated to affect more than 1.5 million people in the US. Therefore, the ECM heart valve technology stands to help a significant percentage of the population suffering from debilitating heart valve disease.
According to the company press release:
“The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued to CorMatrix® U.S. Pat. No. 8,257,434, U.S. Pat. No. 8,409,275 and U.S. Pat. No. 8,449,607, all titled “Prosthetic Tissue Valve.” The patents cover a flat valve configuration that can be employed in several cardiovascular applications. CorMatrix® plans to use this technology to rapidly accelerate its research and development of further medical devices.”
Press release: CorMatrix® Cardiovascular, Inc. Receives Three U.S. Patents for Biomaterial Heart Valve
Flashbacks: Novel Surgical Biomaterial Receives Regulatory Approvals; Carotid Tissue Repair Device Gets 510(k) Nod from FDA; CorMatrix’s Cardiac Tissue Repair Gets CE Mark
