Abbott’s HeartMate 3 LVAD Extends Life Beyond 5 Years in MOMENTUM 3 Findings

August 29, 2022— Abbott announced new late-breaking data that show its HeartMate 3 heart pump extends survival of advanced heart failure patients by at least 5 years. The data are from the MOMENTUM 3 randomized clinical trial that assessed long-term outcomes in patients receiving a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) to treat advanced heart failure. The findings suggest that the HeartMate 3 device provides a clear life-saving option for patients with later-stage disease, noted the company.

The data were presented during a late-breaking session at the European Society of Cardiology’s ESC Congress 2022 held August 26-29 in Barcelona, Spain.

According to Abbott, MOMENTUM 3 evaluated > 1,000 patients and found, for the first time in a clinical trial setting, that patients with advanced heart failure who received the HeartMate 3 heart pump lived beyond 5 years. The study showcased the benefits of Abbott’s heart pump technology, particularly in a patient population that—without a heart pump or transplant—would have limited therapy options or would require living with inotropic medication to help strengthen heart function, limiting median survival to < 1 year.

The new MOMENTUM 3 data also demonstrated that the 5-year survival for HeartMate 3 patients (approximately 60%) is approaching the 5-year survival rates of heart transplant recipients who have a similar risk profile, noted the company.

The 5-year MOMENTUM 3 data compared the company’s HeartMate 3 pump to its HeartMate II pump in treating patients with advanced heart failure (New York Heart Association class IIIB or IV).

As summarized in Abbott’s press release, analysis of the study’s full cohort of patients after 5 years established superiority of the HeartMate 3 over the HeartMate II.

The company reported that HeartMate 3 goes beyond its 2-year outcomes identified in previous MOMENTUM 3 studies to become a true life-extending option. Results of the 5-year study showed an improved survival rate of 58% with HeartMate 3 versus 44% with HeartMate II. The previous MOMENTUM 3 findings were presented in March 2019 by Mandeep R. Mehra, MD, at the American College of Cardiology’s 67th annual scientific session and simultaneously published by Dr. Mehra et al in The New England Journal of Medicine (2019;380:1618-1627).

Additionally, HeartMate 3 demonstrated reduced morbidity and mortality. Greater survival for HeartMate 3 patients was largely associated with a reduction in deaths caused by stroke, clotting, and bleeding compared to HeartMate II.

“The MOMENTUM 3 study proves that the HeartMate 3 heart pump has significantly moved the needle in terms of options for increasing life expectancy for our most advanced heart failure patients,” commented Divya Gupta, MD, in Abbott’s press release. Dr. Gupta, who is Medical Director of Advanced Heart Failure and Heart Transplantation at Emory Healthcare in Atlanta, Georgia, continued, “This research shows strong consideration should be given for this life-extending therapy for the thousands of people who are in advanced heart failure and meet the indications for the HeartMate 3.”

Daniel J. Goldstein, MD, added, “The finding that the HeartMate 3 device can reliably add years to one’s life is compelling evidence for all cardiologists to evaluate their patients with progressive heart failure for this therapy.”

Dr. Goldstein, who is Surgical Director, Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery and Cardiac Transplantation at Montefiore Medical Center in New York, New York, further stated in the company’s press release, “Earlier referral and intervention are critical for this population where it can be challenging to make an accurate diagnosis from physical symptoms alone. The latest MOMENTUM trial data help contextualize the benefits of heart pumps and will help more physicians work with their patients to explore this life-enhancing and life-prolonging alternative as their disease moves into the territory of advanced heart failure.”