Chinese Innovation Takes Center Stage as Global Experts Define Key Technical Standards for Artificial Hearts

Xinhua News Agency, Berlin, December 6th: Vienna, Austria — The 31st Annual Meeting of the International Society for Mechanical Circulatory Support (ISMCS) was recently held in Vienna, Austria.

The conference featured a themed discussion on "Contemporary Bearing Technology for Durable Rotary Blood Pumps." Experts in the global mechanical circulatory support field from China, the United States, Japan, Australia, and other countries discussed issues such as clarifying the concepts of artificial heart bearing technology and standardizing terminology. They also called for industry consensus and the promotion of applications.

Photo shows senior scientist Kurt Dasse, Ph.D. (4th from left), a veteran in the global mechanical circulatory support and artificial heart field, sharing his insights during a panel discussion. (Photo by Yoban)

According to statistics from the World Health Organization, there are over 60 million patients with heart failure globally. Currently, heart transplantation and the implantation of ventricular assist devices (referred to as "VAD," commonly known as "artificial hearts") are the only effective means to extend the lives of these patients. However, due to the limited availability of donor hearts for transplantation, the implantation of artificial hearts has become the sole approach for large-scale treatment of heart failure. In recent years, multiple artificial heart products have entered clinical use, each utilizing different technological pathways. Through in-depth discussions, experts at the conference further clarified the essential differences between technical routes such as magnetic bearings and hydrodynamic bearings. The resulting consensus is expected to provide a basis for an upcoming industry white paper and establish a unified foundation for product classification, clinical evaluation, and regulatory review worldwide.

Dr. Marvin Slepian, former president of the American Society for Artificial Internal Organs (ASAIO), former president of the International Society for Mechanical Circulatory Support (ISMCS), and chairman of this symposium, stated that he is delighted to see multiple innovative products entering the market. At the same time, the industry urgently needs to establish unified and clear technical definitions, as well as industry consensus or regulatory frameworks. Transparent and open disclosure of technical pathways and relevant data by manufacturers not only provides stakeholders with a basis for decision-making but also helps promote the healthy development of the industry.

Kurt Dasse, Ph.D., a senior scientist in the global mechanical circulatory support and artificial heart field, stated that continuous advancements in artificial heart technology have brought significant clinical value to patients. To promote the scientific application of this technology in clinical practice, industry participants need to describe their technical pathways in a clear and consistent manner and disclose them based on open, transparent, and rigorous principles. This will facilitate independent evaluation and objective judgment by researchers and clinicians, thereby helping patients choose scientifically sound treatment options.

Chinese Artificial Heart Company BrioHealth Solutions was the only Chinese enterprise to participate in this thematic conference. It is reported that BrioHealth Solutions' product is China's first approved full magnetic levitation artificial heart and also the first active implantable medical device from China to receive FDA approval for clinical trials in the United States. The product has achieved substantial progress in commercialization in China and international clinical research.

Dr. Chen Chen, founder of BrioHealth Solutions, delivered a presentation titled "The Stability of Magnetic Suspension Bearings and Hydrodynamic Bearings in Blood Pump Operation" at the conference. Using the independently developed fully magnetically suspended artificial heart, BrioVAD, as an example, he systematically elaborated on the direct relationship between artificial heart bearing technology and stability. He mentioned that the stability of bearings is crucial, and unstable bearing technology can lead to blood damage. Based on this, he further proposed key methods for evaluating fully magnetic suspension technology.

The ISMCS Annual Meeting is an authoritative academic conference in the field of mechanical circulatory support. China's participation in the discussion of this international standard marks the country’s transition from "product export" to "rule leadership" in the high-end medical device sector, showcasing the international recognition of China’s achievements in scientific and technological self-reliance. As global experts further advance academic dialogue, a unified "technical language" for the global artificial heart industry will be widely applied, originating from China.Innovative HealthcareThe product is expected to become an important force in the global high-end medical device market, allowing more advanced, safe, and reliable Chinese solutions to benefit patients worldwide. (END)