Paris — Carmat, the French company that makes artificial hearts, is hopeful it will be allowed to resume implants in its final-stage clinical trial. France’s national drugs agency, ANSM, ordered Carmat to suspend further implants earlier this month following the death of a patient in October. "In the light of the data we collected with the fifth patient, the data are very encouraging," CEO Stephane Piat said on Tuesday. "That’s why I am rather confident today." Carmat, whose first shareholders included aircraft maker Airbus and private equity fund Truffle Capital, has not generated any significant revenue but is closely followed by investors as heart diseases represent a leading cause of death worldwide and its devices could represent a major medical breakthrough if proven reliable. When Carmat announced the death of the first patient in its Pivotal trial, it said analyses had confirmed that the patient’s death was not a result of the prosthetic heart. The prosthesis had functioned ...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.