4C Medical Technologies has announced the commencement of enrollment in its ATLAS pivotal trial, a study designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the AltaValve system in treating mitral regurgitation (MR). The trial, titled “A Transseptal Left Atrial System for the Treatment of Mitral Regurgitation,” aims to provide a new treatment option for patients with moderate-to-severe or severe MR who are not suitable candidates for surgery or transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER).
Trial Design and Patient Cohorts
The ATLAS trial is structured with two distinct, non-randomized cohorts. The primary cohort consists of patients with no or mild mitral annular calcification (MAC), while the second cohort includes patients with moderate/severe MAC. Key investigators for the trial include Dr. Yoshi Kaneko from Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Dr. Paul Sorajja of Minneapolis Heart Institute, serving as co-principal investigators in the United States. Dr. Ron Waksman of Medstar Washington Hospital Center is the steering committee chair for ATLAS. In Europe, Dr. Vlasis Ninios of Interbalkan Medical Center and Dr. Lenard Conradi of University Hospital Cologne are co-principal investigators.
AltaValve Technology and Clinical Need
4C Medical, based in Minneapolis, developed the AltaValve as a transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) technology to address mitral regurgitation. MR is a condition where the mitral valve does not close properly, allowing blood to flow backward into the heart. Untreated MR can lead to heart failure or death. The AltaValve system received FDA breakthrough device designation earlier this year, highlighting its potential to address a significant unmet medical need.
Expert Perspectives
Dr. Paul Sorajja expressed enthusiasm about the trial, stating, “We are excited to have successfully enrolled the first US patients in the ATLAS trial. It is an intuitive and predictable procedure with a repositionable implant that is very much needed for the treatment of patients worldwide.”
Dr. Waksman noted that AltaValve is the first atrial fixation TMVR device designed to minimize the challenges of sub-valvular TMVRs, while Sorajja touted the system’s potential to “offer the broadest applicability for a wide range of pathologies.”
Saravana Kumar, CEO and President at 4C Medical, acknowledged the dedication required to advance such a treatment, stating, “It takes significant dedication and a lot of teamwork to take an innovative solution to treat MR from ideation to a global pivotal trial. We are very grateful for such strong support from key opinion leaders worldwide who are helping us carry our novel AltaValve System through pivotal trial with a goal of delivering safe and effective treatment solution for patients suffering from MR.”
Market Context
The market for mitral valve repair and replacement is currently led by systems like the Abbott MitraClip. AltaValve aims to provide an alternative for patients who are not suitable for existing therapies, potentially addressing a broader range of pathologies associated with mitral regurgitation.
