University of Western Australia
Written by Carrie Cox
Revolutionary 3D-printed heart valve technology born out of UWA-led research is a step closer to clinical reality after attracting major investment from a WA venture capital fund.
CoraMetix, the spin-off company of research being undertaken at Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research with the support of UWA, has entered into a seed funding deal with FundWA to help commercialise technology that could save the lives of millions of people who suffer from aortic stenosis.
Image: Dr Elenna Juan Pardo.
Aortic stenosis causes narrowing of the aortic valve opening and often leads to fatal heart failure if left untreated. Each year, up to nine million people worldwide – including one in eight elderly Australians – suffer from aortic stenosis disease.
Current aortic valve replacements are derived from animal tissue and can have a limited life span of less than five years, whereas CoraMetix’s 3D-printed valve is designed to remain functional for the rest of a patient’s life.
Mimicking nature’s design
Biomedical engineer Dr Elenna Juan Pardo, who moved to UWA in 2019 and has extensive global experience in the development of biomaterials and 3D printing technology, said the design of the CoraMetix valve uniquely mimics the mechanical properties of natural human valves.
“What we’re doing is completely different because it’s grown out of close examination of how normal aortic valves work, how it is that they open and shut 30 or 40 million times a year, the key components of their engineering, and then we’ve set out to design a valve that has those same key components,” Dr Juan Pardo explains.
“We’ve used a biopolymer material that is highly stable and biocompatible, having no reaction with the immune system and no potential to cause clots, and we’ve created a very flexible structure that is small and easy to implant in the heart.
“It has two layers: the inside layer is 3D printed and very strong, mimicking the collagen fibres in a natural aortic valve, while the outer layer is a very thin coating that seals the inner mesh and makes the valve smooth. The two materials interact perfectly with each other.”
Making a real difference
Dr Juan Pardo said the technology produced a valve that was far cheaper than existing animal-tissue valves and would make replacement surgery accessible to many more people, while also reducing the need for ongoing medical intervention.
“It’s such an exciting journey to be part of because the opportunity to make a real difference to millions of lives is immensely satisfying,” she says.
“Because this technology is so much cheaper to produce, there exists the opportunity to make it available in third-world countries too, where valve replacement is still considered a luxury surgery.
“Every year, many people around the world die while being on the waiting list for valve replacement surgery – and these people aren’t even counted in the statistics for aortic stenosis.
“So everyone involved in this research journey, and now in the commercialisation process, is incredibly motivated.
“We’re dedicated to delivering a next-generation heart valve characterised by superior performance and durability.”
Next steps in the commercialisation process include animal testing and extensive clinical trials, with the goal being to perform the first in-human implant within 24-36 months.
In May 2023, CoraMetix received a $500,000 accelerator grant from CUREator, Australia’s national biotech incubator, which is funded by the Federal Government’s Medical Research Future Fund.