Messages from Key Opinion Leaders

“I have been impressed by the Triflo valve and look forward to starting first-in-man clinical trials. This valve has the potential to benefit thousands of patients, especially young people.”

Prof. Thierry Carrel, M.D., University Hospital of Bern, Switzerland.

 

“I am pleased to lend my full support to Novostia team, which has decided to meet the challenge of making the first mechanical valve that does not create pathological fluid forces and does not require lifelong warfarin anticoagulation therapy. I look forward with great expectations to starting the first-in-man implants of the Triflo valve!”

Prof. Gilles Dreyfus, M.D., Institut Mutualiste Montsouris (IMM), Paris.

 

“I want to confirm my interest in the further study and clinical introduction of the new tri-leaflet valve. Given the limitations of current artificial valves, including thrombogenicity of mechanical valves and the limited durability of bioprostheses, there is a strong need for a durable and non-thrombogenic artificial valve. The Triflo valve might be able to fill this gap and thereby cause a significant improvement in the quality of life of our AVR patients.”

Prof. Bart Meuris, M.D., KU Leuven, Belgium.

 

“I strongly support the development of the Triflo valve. Unlike currently available mechanical heart valves, based on concepts unchanged since the 1970s, this new tri-leaflet valve functions like native human valves. It begins to close as the flow decelerates, being fully closed when the pressure changes, thus producing an atraumatic blood friendly soft closure. It may just be the durable bio-friendly prosthesis that patients and surgeons have been looking for many years!”

Walter Dembitsky, M.D., Sharp Memorial Hospital, San Diego, U.S.A.

 

“I am  positively impressed by the physiological behavior of the Triflo valve. The placement of a tissue valve through a peripheral access has recently attracted considerable investments. While this still-experimental, palliative and costly procedure is devoted to the elderly whose life expectancy is short, there has been little consideration for the largely unmet need worldwide for patients less than 65 years old. At last, a change is coming with the Triflo heart valve, fulfilling the dream of a long-lasting mechanical valve with no need for anticoagulation.”

Prof. Reiner Körfer, M.D., Evangelisches Klinikum Niederrhein GmbH, Germany.

 

“I am favorably impressed by the preliminary data on the new tri-leaflet valve prosthesis, as well as the appearance of the prosthesis itself. Pyrolitic carbon has been so uniquely successful in prosthetic valves that it has created a gridlock in our cerebration. There are at least three other materials that I would like to consider...I had a chance to discuss these matters with my longtime friend, Dr. Lapeyre.”

C. Walton Lillehei , Ph.D., M.D., known as “the Father of the Open-Heart Surgery.” 
Letter to O. Howard Frazier and Denton A. Cooley.