Heart Squared

Heart Squared is developing a ventricular assist device for people with advanced heart failure. The device is designed to be delivered by catheter, which reduces its size and how heavy the procedure is. It produces pulsatile flow, the way a heart does, where the devices in use produce continuous flow. The team is first developing it as a destination therapy, for patients who are not eligible for a transplant, and is also considering its use as a bridge to transplant.

The ventricular assist devices in use run on continuous flow. The team cites two concerns tied to this mode: fusion of the aortic valve leaflets and reduced coronary perfusion. Implantation also requires surgery, and the number of physicians able to implant such a device remains limited.

The product

The team is designing a pulsatile device placed by catheter. At this stage, the device has shown that it generates pulsatile flow in an in vitro pulse duplicator; preclinical studies are announced as the next step. The work brings together a lead designer who is a PhD student in mechanical engineering at Concordia University, an interventional cardiologist from the CHUM as clinical advisor, a business advisor and a scientific advisor.