Founded 2010
Stage Business development
Investors The Trendlines Group, Maryland/Israel Trendlines Fund, MDs and VAD expert group, Israel’s Innovation Authority grants
CEO Michael Zilbershlag
Carmel HaLevy of Leviticus Cardio explains the system to visitors at Biomed 2018.
Leviticus Cardio is developing a wireless system able to provide the day-to-day power needs of VAD implants while eliminating the complications related to the drive line.
The Company’s solution uses a proprietary technology, Coplanar Energy Transfer (CET), that works with available commercial LVADs, including market-leading HM3 (HeartMate) and HVAD® (HeartWare). The innovative CET system provides effective transcutaneous energy transfer with important advantages over competing wireless energy transfer technologies —
See the presentation (PDF).
Former CEO and founder of Genesis-OS, developer of advanced FPGA solutions; previously, ECI Telecom (Nasdaq: ECIL), Orckit Communications (Nasdaq: ORCT), Broadlight Inc.; entrepreneur with vast R&D experience in communications, medical devices, and system engineering; MBA, BScEE
Former VP R&D Tessera, Metalink, and Broadlight; over 20 years’ experience in R&D, project management, and engineering; managed projects in communications, imaging, and medical; experience in multidisciplinary system architecture projects and development from idea to mass production; BScEE
Attending cardiac surgeon and former chief of Cardiac Surgery Intensive Care Unit, Sheba Medical Center, Israel; board certified, cardiothoracic surgery (1995); research fellowship, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, New York; clinical fellowship: cardiac surgery, heart transplantation, and assist devices, UCLA
Consultant cardiothoracic surgeon, Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals Trust, UK; professor, cardiac surgery, Medical Faculty, Carl Gustav Carus University Hospital, Dresden, Germany; past president: International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation, European Society for Cardiovascular Surgery
Staff physician, Dept. of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, Cleveland Clinic; former project director, CoreAide VAD; past president, International Society for Rotary Blood Pumps
Thousands of patients each year are candidates for heart transplantation. An alternative to heart transplantation is the ventricular assist device (VAD), an implanted mechanical circulatory pump that is increasingly being used to support patients with heart failure.
To supply power to the pump, the VAD is connected to an external power pack by a transcutaneous drive line. The exit site of the drive line on the abdomen provides a port of entry for pathogens, making VAD recipients highly vulnerable to device-related infections. Infection and reduction in quality of life (both related to the drive line) represent the most important challenge to extended VAD use.
According to Grand View Research, the global LVAD market was valued at US$763 million in 2014 and is set to grow to US$1.98 billion by 2022, driven by increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease, advances in technology, and favorable reimbursement, among other factors.*
Leviticus estimates the TAM for its CET system at $900 million. Players in the VAD market include St. Jude Medical, HeartWare, Jarvik Heart, Cleveland Heart, Sunshine Heart, CorWave, Rein VAD (AME), Calon Cardio, Berlin Heart, and Relight Heart.
*Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) Treatment Devices Market Analysis by Product (Ventricular Assist Devices, Counter Pulsation Devices, Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators, Pacemakers, Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy) And Segment Forecasts to 2024. Grand View Research, October 2016.
