Anteris Technologies Ltd’s (ASX:AVR) (FRA:DDF) (OTCMKTS:AMEUF) operations are advancing largely as scheduled, with the company highly positive on the DurAVR™ valve studies.
The company said results indicate DurAVR™ offers patients normalised hemodynamics across bench, animal and human studies and if these results continue, DurAVR™ will be the first TAVR valve to deliver a truly functional cure for severe aortic stenosis patients.
Coupled with the superior ADAPT® anti calcification treatment, DurAVR™ will last longer and work better than first-generation technologies, it added.
TAVR partnership deals
The business restrictions caused by COVID-19 precludes face-face meetings but this has not dampened interest in Anteris’ unique technology.
Negotiations with potential partners and/or licensees continue apace and Anteris remains committed to concluding partnership deals for TAVR development this year.
New lab for TAVR animal study
Artemis has contracted a new laboratory for the second phase of its TAVR animal study starting in September 2020.
The company expects to post these results by the year-end.
The final cohort of six animals has a 90-day follow-up and is designed to assess variables such as deployment and hemodynamic.
Results for the final cohort will be due around the end of the first quarter of 2021.
SAVR clinical study to resume
The SAVR clinical study is expected to resume in September 2020.
The study was in hiatus after four patients were successfully treated and the backlog of surgery due to COVID-19 demands on the University Hospitals Leuven in Belgium being prioritised.
The program will be accelerated with a second investigator working with Professor Bart Meuris on the study, performing DurAVR™ valve implants on patients.
Anti-calcification studies
Anteris' preclinical study, which started in May 2020 to compare the anti-calcification properties of its proprietary ADAPT® treated tissue with other bovine and porcine tissues used in commercially available SAVR and TAVR valves, is progressing according to schedule.
Minimpact minimal due to COVID-19
Anteris said to date, there have been no major impacts to the business due to COVID-19.
The company had implemented contingency plans and risk mitigation strategies that included its directors and senior executives taking a 25% pay reduction from May 2020.
The pay reduction will be removed from 1 September 2020, it added.
LeMaitre Vascular manufacturing orders
Artemis is expecting the US$0.65 million post-closing instalment payment on the first anniversary of the distribution rights sale agreement this October 2020.
A second, equal post-closing instalment is due on the agreement’s second anniversary.
However, it noted that despite continuing orders keeping the company manufacturing CardioCel® and VascuCel® patches for LeMaitre Vascular Inc, it does not expect LeMaitre to achieve its sales target for the first 12 months post the distribution rights sale agreement, which qualifies Anteris to its earn-out payment.