LAA-START · Left Atrial Appendage Electrical Isolation via Bio-photonic Optical Confirmation to Treat Persistent Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is an irregular heartbeat caused by abnormal electrical activity in the heart, that can lead to blood clots with high risk of stroke and heart failure. There are 10.7 million AF patients across Europe and the US, 3.6 million are classified as having Persistent AF (PAF), they are highly symptomatic and medication resistant. Surgical electrical therapy (catheter ablation) destroys heart tissue causing the abnormal electrical pulses. For PAF patients, this works only 30% of the time. Approximately 72% of PAF patients require at least one redo procedure, amounting to €13.5 billion in wasted healthcare costs. Success rates are doubled if electrical activity in a part of the heart “the Left Atrial Appendage” (LAA), is shut down. But this increases stroke risk from blood clots as the LAA is now incapable of muscle contraction to maintain blood flow. LAA implants, “occlusion devices” fit across the opening of the LAA to filter the blood and prevent clots from entering the blood stream. However, fitting an occlusion device during the same procedure as LAA electrical isolation doubles procedure time (to 7 hours) making it non-financially viable for health services and too high risk for patients. AuriGen Medical have developed a unique, minimally invasive cardiac implant which permanently electrically and mechanically isolates the LAA in a one-shot procedure: treating both the stroke and arrhythmia risk associated with PAF with no increase in surgery time.This multi-partner FTI project will complete product development in line with the regulatory development pathway for medical devices for first in human safety and efficacy clinical studies required for CE certification and contributing to FDA clinical data requirements. The total market opportunity is $5bn/yr market opportunity across the EU and US. AuriGen will enter the market directly in the initial target European markets (Germany, France, Italy and UK) during Q3 2020.