Jianhu Medical Breaks the Cardiac Electrophysiology 'Impossible Triangle' with Integrated 3D Dielectric Mapping and Pulsed Field Ablation Platform

Thanks to the advent of 3D mapping systems, an increasing number of patients with atrial fibrillation are able to receive more precise and safe surgical treatment. However, the system equipment, often priced at millions of yuan, along with out-of-pocket medical expenses reaching tens of thousands of yuan, means that only certain large hospitals and patients can afford them.

According to public data, the number of atrial fibrillation (AF) patients in China is nearly 20 million, comparable to the number of patients with coronary heart disease; however, there is a significant disparity in surgical volumes. In 2020, the total number of AF ablation procedures was approximately 70,000, whereas the volume of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures exceeded 1 million in the same year.

The underlying reason is that multinational corporations, represented by Johnson & Johnson and Abbott, have swept across the global electrophysiology field, establishing a monopolistic posture by virtue of their overwhelming advantage in 3D mapping systems, a core product. With the rise of a cohort of domestic enterprises, the fortresses of these multinational giants appear to be showing signs of weakening.

"Universal, Skilled, Compassionate"It is the mission of Jianhu Medical, as well as the original aspiration of Zhao Yongming in founding the company: to resolve the “impossible triangle” of accessibility, high quality, and affordability in cardiac electrophysiology treatment solutions.

“'Universal'Corresponding to accessibility,'Miao Shou'Corresponding to high quality,'Benevolent Heart'“...corresponding to affordability.” Dr. Zhao Yongming, founder of Jianhu Medical, told VCBeat that he had already harbored entrepreneurial aspirations during his tenure at Siemens, Philips, and Medtronic. Later, while overseeing projects at Medtronic, he met his current co-founder. Sharing a common vision based on their assessment of the market and technology, the two quickly joined forces, choosing to enter the cardiac electrophysiology sector by leveraging breakthrough innovations in 3D dielectric mapping and pulsed field ablation (PFA) technologies.

In February 2021, Jianhu Medical Technology (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. was established in Kunshan, Suzhou. With Kunshan as its manufacturing hub and Shanghai as its R&D center, the company is committed to becoming an internationally leading innovator in interventional imaging technology. By implementing an integrated strategy encompassing an imaging platform, an energy platform, and consumables, it aims to deliver a comprehensive cardiac electrophysiology solution.

Jianhu Medical: Real Photos of Corporate Environment

“The 3D dielectric mapping technology we have adopted belongs to the next generation of 3D mapping and imaging technologies. Dielectric mapping itself represents a disruption to existing electromagnetic mapping technologies,” Dr. Zhao told VCBeat. Three-dimensional mapping technology has evolved from the LocaLisa pure electric field mapping system, which emerged approximately thirty years ago, to the early 2000s, when it was dominated by two major players: St. Jude Medical (now Abbott) with its electric field mapping, and Johnson & Johnson with its combined electromagnetic mapping. Due to Johnson & Johnson’s strong influence in the field of cardiac electrophysiology, all current 3D mapping technologies in China are based on dual electromagnetic localization or electromagnetic fusion techniques.

The core of 3D dielectric mapping technology lies in leveraging the distinct dielectric constants of different types of tissue cells within the human body under the influence of an electric field. By measuring and tracking changes in the dielectric constants of various tissue cells, this technology enables real-time, high-precision 3D localization and imaging of human tissue structures. Compared with other mapping systems, 3D dielectric mapping technology offers three unique advantages:

• Can significantly reduce the cost of consumables.Since 3D dielectric mapping technology achieves high-precision localization and imaging by measuring and tracking the dielectric constant of tissue cells using conventional catheter electrodes, while also accurately measuring and tracking the contact pressure between the catheter and tissue, its underlying principle eliminates the need for expensive magnetic positioning coils required by magnetic localization technologies, as well as the incorporation of precision pressure sensors within the catheter. This significantly reduces the manufacturing costs of consumables, thereby substantially lowering the costs passed on to patients.

  
  

• Aligns with the concept of "Green Electrophysiology."Three-dimensional dielectric mapping systems can perform real-time 3D imaging and modeling of cardiac and vascular tissues, with imaging resolution comparable to that of CT scans. The procedure requires minimal intraoperative X-ray assistance, thereby maximizing the reduction of radiation exposure to both patients and operators, and facilitating treatment for patients with renal insufficiency or contrast media allergies.

  
  

• Dielectric Imaging Technology, with Unique Localized Imaging Capabilities, enabling precise measurement of myocardial tissue thickness and assessment and imaging of lesions induced by various ablation energies (such as radiofrequency, cryoablation, and pulsed field ablation). It provides a fully closed-loop therapeutic solution for myocardial ablation treatment encompassing "planning-monitoring-evaluation," helping to improve procedural success rates, and is hailed as a breakthrough in the field of cardiac electrophysiological ablation therapy."The Holy Grail"imaging technology.

“From the outset, we have been committed to an integrated solution.” Discussing the design philosophy, Dr. Zhao acknowledged that both imported and domestically manufactured products typically involve developing specific devices first and then integrating next-generation technologies later—a process that is difficult and costly. Therefore, during development, Jianhu Medical’s 3D mapping system, PFA ablation generator, ablation catheters, mapping catheters, and other consumables were co-developed and fully integrated, thereby eliminating dependence on complex processes such as various sensor integrations and intricate circuit designs.

Jianhu Medical's Integrated 3D Dielectric Pulsed Electric Field Ablation System

Its distinctiveThree-Dimensional Dielectric Pulsed Electric Field Integrated Ablation System, bySTARTREK™ 3D Dielectric Imaging Mapping and Navigation System, ALPHATRION^®Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Field Ablation System and HALOPULSE™ Dielectric Positioning Ring-Shaped Multi-Channel Ablation Catheterconsisting of three parts, it is an integratedIntegrated Solution of Imaging + Energy Platform + Consumables, aiming to provide comprehensive arrhythmia solutions.

Among them,STARTREK™ 3D Dielectric Imaging Mapping and Navigation SystemIntegrates imaging, mapping, navigation, and lesion assessment into a single platform. Specifically designed for pulsed field ablation systems, it provides high-voltage protection mechanisms and an integrated “plan-monitor-assess” solution.

ALPHATRION^®Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Field Ablation SystemIt is designed and developed based on the latest semiconductor technology, enabling bidirectional bipolar ablation, nanosecond pulse width pulses, and intelligent electrode contact. This maximizes the safety and efficacy of ablation therapy.

Notably, Jianhu Medical has achieved nanosecond-pulse Pulsed Field Ablation (PFA). Existing microsecond-level PFA technologies still suffer from significant intraoperative muscle contractions, high anesthesia requirements, and pseudo-isolation, necessitating general anesthesia for most clinical procedures and entailing substantial risks. In contrast, Jianhu Medical’s nanosecond PFA technology utilizes high-frequency nanosecond pulses to reduce muscular stimulation. Through optimized combinations of pulse waveforms, it enables PFA-based atrial fibrillation ablation under local anesthesia or sedation.

HALOPULSE™ Dielectric Positioning Annular Multi-Channel Ablation Catheter, featuring a helical loop catheter design that enables adjustable curvature and looping to maximally meet clinical needs. Meanwhile, the ring-shaped multi-electrode design, combined with the STARTREK 3D dielectric mapping system, allows the catheter to simultaneously perform ablation, mapping imaging, and lesion assessment.

Currently, Jianhu Medical's integrated ablation system for 3D dielectric mapping and pulsed electric field has completed animal experiments under pulsed electric fields.

Jianhu Medical's 3D Dielectric Pulsed Electric Field Ablation System Successfully Completes Animal Trials

In contrast to the closed models adopted by other companies on the market, Jianhu Medical’s STARTREK 3D Dielectric Mapping System is an open system. In addition to its proprietary mapping and ablation catheters, the system is compatible with authorized third-party mapping and ablation catheters, allowing users to leverage the powerful capabilities of the shared dielectric imaging platform.

“From the client’s perspective, many physicians are already accustomed to and proficient with the various mapping and ablation catheters currently available on the market. Open mapping systems are therefore more favored by users. Furthermore, building an open imaging platform is more conducive to ecosystem development and fosters healthy competition among manufacturers, ultimately benefiting both users and patients. This also reflects our confidence in our own innovative capabilities,” said Dr. Zhao.

“Unlike other startups with PFA as their core product, our core technology is a 3D dielectric imaging platform, with PFA being just one of the energy modalities within our platform. The full potential of PFA technology can only be unleashed when combined with 3D dielectric mapping technology; this synergy creates an effect where one plus one is far greater than two,” added Dr. Zhao.

“Many high-value consumables used in cardiac electrophysiology procedures, such as pressure-sensing catheters and high-density mapping catheters, remain prohibitively expensive, with technological breakthroughs proving elusive. In contrast, our 3D dielectric mapping technology relies primarily on robust data processing capabilities and artificial intelligence algorithms. This approach fundamentally eliminates the need to embed such precise and costly sensors within the catheter, thereby overcoming the limitations imposed by their complex manufacturing processes and significantly reducing both the difficulty and cost of catheter production. It is fair to say that our dielectric technology was essentially designed to popularize cardiac catheter ablation,” summarized Dr. Zhao.

Finally, let us introduce the core team of Jianhu Medical.

Zhao Yongming, founder of Jianhu Medical, holds a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Shanghai Jiao Tong University. He previously served as R&D Director at Medtronic’s Greater China R&D Center and Chair of the Medtronic Asia Technology Conference, as well as R&D Project Director at Siemens Healthineers and R&D Manager for the MRI Business Unit at Philips Healthcare. The core R&D team comprises industry veterans with over a decade of experience in their respective fields, hailing from renowned medical device companies such as Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic, Philips, and Siemens, enabling them to drive project operations forward quickly and smoothly.

After years of dedicated development, Jianhu Medical has secured complete independent intellectual property rights and core algorithms for dielectric imaging, pulsed field ablation systems, and catheter design and manufacturing, holding more than ten core invention patents in this field. Although the development technologies for traditional 3D mapping systems are predominantly controlled by foreign multinational corporations—which continue to strengthen their positions in China’s and the global electrophysiology markets through first-mover advantages and sustained R&D investment—VCBeat believes that domestic manufacturers of dielectric imaging technology, represented by Jianhu Medical, are poised to break through in the emerging field of 3D dielectric mapping technology, thereby achieving domestic substitution in 3D mapping and cardiac electrophysiology.