Carmat’s Aeson Artificial Heart Implanted in Patient With Cardiac Tumor

December 11, 2023—Carmat announced the first implantation of its Aeson total artificial heart in a patient with a cardiac tumor. The Aeson aims to provide a therapeutic alternative for patients with advanced biventricular heart failure.

According to the company, the patient’s tumor had invaded the heart mass—the area responsible for rhythmic and restrictive cardiopathy—that eluded standard medical treatment. Complete surgical removal of the heart was considered the only hope for treatment. The Aeson total artificial heart was implanted for the first time in this type of indication.

The implantation was performed by the teams of Professor Julien Guihaire, MD, a cardiac surgeon, and Professor Elie Fadel, MD, a thoracic surgeon, at the Marie-Lannelongue Hospital in Plessis-Robinson in the western suburbs of Paris, France.

“We are delighted to have been able to provide a solution to this patient in a very difficult situation, for whom there was no other alternative than a total heart replacement with Aeson,” commented Prof. Guihaire and Prof. Fadel in the company’s press release. “This first-in-man implant performed in our hospital is a continuation of the commitment to the Carmat project by our teams since the beginning of 2010, including—in particular—the performance of numerous implant simulations in the Marie-Lannelongue Hospital research laboratory. Aeson offers real hope for patients with invasive cardiac tumors whose treatment options and survival are currently extremely limited.”

The company stated that the implantation was performed as part of Carmat’s EFICAS study, which aims to gather additional data on the efficacy and safety of its Aeson artificial heart, as well as medico-economic data to support the value proposition of the prosthesis, particularly, the reimbursement of the device in France.

Eight French cardiology centers are now participating in the EFICAS study, which will include a total of 52 patients. Enrollment of the first cohort of 10 patients has been completed. The study is on track for completion in 2025, advised Carmat.