WEC: Our clinical evidence to date strongly supports the viability of the everlinQ system, including its safety and efficacy, and this is most important in working toward regulatory approvals and eventual commercial launch. Industry endorsements like the ICI award are significant as well, as they provide validation for the promise our technology offers patients, and they give us more visibility, which is critical for expanding our clinical studies to new centers and also for attracting additional investors.

DOTmed News: Are you planning on studying the system in the U.S. and working toward FDA approval in the near future?


WEC: We are currently conducting the NEAT study (Novel Endovascular Access Trial) in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand with thought-leaders in endovascular procedures. In the next year or so, we plan to begin our efforts toward attaining regulatory approval in the United States.

DOTmed News: I know that you're also the director of the Texas Heart Institute's Center for Technology and Innovation. Can you explain the history of the institute and what kind of research and development you work on there?

WEC: In 1962, Dr. Denton A. Cooley founded the Texas Heart Institute (THI) with a mission to reduce the devastating toll of cardiovascular disease through innovative programs in research, education, and improved patient care. After more than 50 years, the institute is a leading worldwide force in discovering new approaches to diagnose, prevent and treat cardiovascular disease.

Some key past THI milestones include the first successful heart transplantation in the U.S. in 1968, the first implantation of an artificial heart in a human the following year, breakthroughs in the treatment of infants born with congenital defects, and effective methods of preventing heart attacks by reducing the formation of blockages in the arteries.


Today, our team of scientists, engineers and students is working on a wide variety of projects involving innovative approaches to cardiovascular procedures in order to fulfill unmet medical needs. This ranges from ongoing adult stem cell research and unraveling the details of the genetic predisposition to cardiovascular disease - to cutting-edge work on the next generation of mechanical circulatory assist devices.

We collectively believe that the most important impact we can make is to deliver new technological approaches that result in less-invasive procedures, shorter patient recovery, and better outcomes.

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