TruLive Medical Completes Hundreds of Millions RMB Series A Funding to Build a World-Class Structural Heart Disease Platform

VCBeat has learned that Jiangsu Trulive Medtech Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Trulive”) recently announced the completion of its Series A financing round, amounting to hundreds of millions of yuan. The round was led by LYFE Capital, with participation from SDIC Chuanghe, C&D Capital, and Ancheng Capital.

Trulive stated, “This round of financing will accelerate the subsequent clinical development of the company’s core products, ushering in a new chapter for Trulive in the field of innovative therapies for structural heart disease.”

Data shows that Trulive is a high-tech company specializing in structural heart disease, dedicated to tailoring product technologies that better align with the anatomical and pathological characteristics of Chinese patients.

Currently, Trulive has laid out transcatheter mitral valve replacement products, transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement products, and transcatheter aortic valve replacement products, and strategically deployed repair products across the entire field.

Structural heart disease refers to any abnormality of the cardiac structure. With advancements in recent years, it is now generally accepted that structural heart disease encompasses cardiovascular diseases characterized primarily by abnormalities in the structure of the heart and great vessels, whether congenital or acquired. These include conditions traditionally defined as congenital heart disease, valvular heart disease, and cardiomyopathy.

“China Cardiovascular Report 2019” data shows that in 2019, the number of patients with heart valve disease in China reached 36.3 million, among which mitral regurgitation and tricuspid regurgitation accounted for a relatively large proportion, representing 29.2% and 25.1% of all heart valve disease patients respectively. In addition, the prevalence of mitral regurgitation among people aged 60 and above was as high as 9.2%. It is expected that with the deepening aging trend, the global prevalence of mitral regurgitation will continue to rise.

Trulive stated, “Mitral regurgitation is the most common valvular heart disease. In China, there are approximately 10 million patients with mitral regurgitation (≥Grade III) requiring treatment. However, the annual volume of surgical interventions for mitral valve disease in China currently stands at only over 40,000 cases, leaving more than 98% of patients with mitral regurgitation without effective treatment.”

In addition, tricuspid regurgitation is another common type of valvular heart disease, with the number of patients in China projected to reach 9.9 million by 2025. Clinical experts noted, “Tricuspid regurgitation is prevalent among individuals with cardiovascular disease. A significant proportion of these patients present with late-onset symptoms, and by the time of diagnosis, their condition is often severe, carrying a high risk for surgical intervention.”

Currently, minimally invasive interventional therapy has become the primary treatment modality for patients with structural heart diseases, such as mitral regurgitation and tricuspid regurgitation, due to its advantages of minimal trauma, low risk, fewer complications, and shorter hospital stays. According to estimates by Edwards Lifesciences, a global industry leader, the total market size for transcatheter devices treating mitral and tricuspid valve diseases is expected to reach $3 billion in 2024, indicating growth potential far exceeding that of TAVI.

Despite the promising market potential, the development of solutions in this field faces extremely high technical challenges due to the more complex and dynamic anatomical structures of the mitral and tricuspid valves, larger valve sizes, and more difficult access routes. To date, Abbott’s Tendyne system from the United States is the only transcatheter mitral valve replacement product commercially available in Europe, while the domestic Chinese market remains untapped; globally, there are no commercially available products for transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement.

Furthermore, compared with the United States and Europe, China’s transcatheter valve technology remains in its early stages of development. Due to the relatively short history of this field in China, currently approved products in the domestic market are predominantly previous-generation aortic valve devices, while next-generation aortic, mitral, and tricuspid valve products are still in the early stages of market introduction.

Fortunately, as a leader in interventional therapy for structural heart disease, Trulive has established a comprehensive presence in the fields of next-generation aortic valve replacement, as well as mitral and tricuspid valve replacement and repair. Its R&D pipeline now covers the full spectrum of interventional valve therapies. Notably, Trulive is currently the only domestic company in China to achieve full coverage across both transcatheter and surgical approaches, as well as across all core valve segments.

Trulive Introduction: “Leveraging its three comprehensive technology platforms—stents, pericardium, and catheters—and benchmarking against the most advanced global technologies, the company has developed a new generation of products, including those for aortic valve replacement, mitral valve replacement, and tricuspid valve replacement. Meanwhile, the company has filed over 20 domestic and international invention patents, effectively protecting its proprietary product technical solutions with independent intellectual property rights, thereby establishing a comprehensive patent portfolio.”

Trulive has garnered investor favor, driven by the significant growth opportunities in its industry and its strong core competitiveness with distinct advantages.

Trulive stated, “R&D capabilities, industry resources, and expert resources are the critical cornerstones for the company to achieve a full product line portfolio and enter the first tier of the valve sector.”

In terms of R&D capabilities, Trulive has established strategic collaborations with a team of top-tier global expert advisors from North America, Europe, and other regions, thereby possessing exceptional innovative R&D capabilities.

In terms of industry resources, the core team at Trulive has successfully launched multiple product series and innovative companies, demonstrating precise foresight into industry trends and frontier technological developments. Meanwhile, its core team is deeply rooted in the front lines of the industry, possessing extensive experience in corporate operations and abundant industry resources. Currently, Trulive has established a comprehensive infrastructure covering core raw material processing, product design, animal testing, and regulatory clinical teams.

In terms of expert resources, Trulive leverages its innovation capabilities and industry connections to maintain strong relationships with top-tier experts both domestically and internationally. These experts have provided in-depth support and guidance during Trulive’s research and development initiatives.

Leveraging these advantages, Trulive has completed the R&D of multiple products, with its core product scheduled to enter the registration-related clinical trial phase in the second half of this year. Trulive stated, “The clinical trials for this core product are expected to achieve several industry firsts.”

Jifeng CapitalHe stated, “Structural heart disease is one of the hotspots in the cardiovascular field, characterized by a vast market potential and high product barriers. Trulive has a comprehensive portfolio of valve products with leading development progress, and its founding team possesses strong international vision and overall execution capabilities. We sincerely look forward to the company strengthening the R&D of innovative products, accelerating clinical and commercialization processes, and providing high-quality innovative solutions in the field of heart valves for patients and healthcare providers worldwide.”

SDIC ChuangheIt stated: “Over centuries of surgical evolution, every technological advancement has been driven by urgent clinical needs. A review of the history of surgical development reveals that ‘minimally invasive procedures, more convenient operational methods, and a broader beneficiary population’ have been the core demands driving past technological progress, and will inevitably remain the trend and direction for future advancements. Trulive’s extensive product portfolio is designed to maximally meet diverse clinical needs, providing novel treatment solutions for a wider range of patients with heart valve diseases.”

Lyfe Capital is a healthcare-focused investment fund established in 2015, with approximately $1.4 billion in assets under management. Lyfe Capital is dedicated to investing in healthcare companies with exceptional management teams and compelling visions. Its investment portfolio spans biopharmaceuticals, medical devices, and medical diagnostics, among other sectors. Lyfe Capital works closely with its portfolio companies, providing not only capital but also assistance in business development, identifying overseas partners, and actively supporting strategic and team enhancement, as well as facilitating product approval and market access. For Lyfe Capital, portfolio companies are not merely investment projects, but long-term partners.

SDIC Chuanghe is the professional fund-of-funds and industrial fund management arm of SDIC Group. It currently manages two national-level funds, along with multiple industrial and market-oriented funds, with directly managed assets exceeding RMB 40 billion. Focusing on equity investment, venture capital, and fund investments in strategic emerging industries, SDIC Chuanghe has over 80 direct investment projects under management and holds stakes in more than 170 funds. It has nurtured over 2,600 innovative technology enterprises, becoming the leading fund-of-funds manager in China that supports the largest number of venture capital teams and covers the broadest range of industries. Under the advocacy of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), SDIC Chuanghe also took the lead in establishing the China Venture Capital Service Alliance for Innovative Biomedicine, Artificial Intelligence, New Materials, and Cybersecurity, continuously improving its investment ecosystem, pooling the collective strength of mass entrepreneurship and innovation, and promoting the development of emerging industries.