Forum Archive Index - July 2001

["G Stolwyk" <stolwyk@wave.co.nz>]

 

Readers of this post are not asked to buy, hold or sell MMD stock. To do so will be entirely at their own risk!

 

Followers of MMD,

 

I have written Post no. 1069 for the MMD message board of Ozestock: < www.ozestock.com.au >

 

This is a summary post and a copy of the content follows:

 

" Readers,

 

The important post no. 340 summarizes the business, the products and the status of the " Artificial Heart " or " VentrAssist " trials which were held by MMD up to June 1, 2001. To understand the content mentioned below, please read post 340, first!

 

To quickly locate post 340, look for the date of the post you are reading now, then enter the number " 340 " in the search box provided below that and click on " Go ". I suggest you print that page as constant references will be made to post no. 340!

 

This new post discusses developments since June 1, 2001 and before reading the contents of this post, you have agreed to absolve the writer of any liabilities ( as you did in post number 340 ) arising from reading the following content:

 

1.Markets.

There are two distinct markets for  Artificial Heart devices:

 

1.1 A device which completely replaces the patient's current heart. Normally, this patient would be the recipient of a transplant.

Abiomed Inc.( ABMD ) has produced such a device, weighing over 1 kg., a large sized object which can only be fitted to a grown-up person. This device is being trialled and will be expensive. The market for this device is about $US 1 Bill.  

 

1.2 The " Heart  Assist " device discussed in post No. 340: Arising from heart attacks, this device will be connected to an existing heart for a period. It gives the heart time to recover; reports indicate that up to 40 % of patients recover after only three months on an artificial heart.

 

The device can be disconnected when wanted and the patient will continue to live his/her normal life.

 

A few of these devices will be trialled in the next two years, however, as post No. 340 pointed out, the MMD's " VentrAssist " device is radically different and has some very attractive features not shared by other devices.

 

The market for these Heart Assist devices is some $US 11 Bill. or $A 22 Bill. and is rising due to an increasing rate of heart failures. It is a massive market!

 

MMD hopes to get a large chunk of this market pending the successful outcome of the human trials to take place at the end of this year or soon thereafter.

 

Commercialisation could then start in 2003: MMD's device does not require long periods for testing as is required when testing  many pharmaceutical products.

 

2. Developments.

MMD has refined their " VentrAssist " device which can now be fitted to young persons; it has the size of a child's fist and blood damage is now minimal ( unlike other devices ) as was shown in extensive and successful animal trials, one lasting over six months. There are additional features:

 

2.1 It has the potential to be put in without the patient being on heart-lung bypass. Surgery will therefore be less invasive and therefore will have less risks.

 

2.2 Post no. 583 is a News Release from MMD and it mentions that a sheep implanted with this device has given birth to a healthy male lamb. This gives new hope to pregnant patients who cannot tolerate risky anticoagulants which need to be used with other Artificial Hearts.

 

MMD has secured another US patent. This covers all aspects of its device. 

 

 MMD already has a second - generation product in mind that will be made of plastic and will cost about a quarter of the current price of the titanium one ( which costs $ A 60 -100 k ). It will be implanted only for three to six months.

 

Implantation into the sheep only took 90 minutes and the technique does nor require major surgery.

 

MMD will address the following needs for improvement in subsequent models: At present, the power supply needs to be changed two to three times a day. Cables pass through the skin: a transcutaneous control system ( as ABMD's device for total heart replacement has, see above ) will be less restrictive and is being looked at."

 

Gerry Stolwyk 

Holds MMD. Their web site: < www.micromed.com.au >