Anteris Technologies Ltd (ASX:AVR, OTC:AMEUF, FRA:DDF) has been granted a patent for its ‘Sterilized packaging system for catheter’ invention by the Commonwealth of Australia Patent Office on July 22, 2021
Sterilization of surgical products used in vivo is essential, and having a specialised, proprietary sterilization system enhances the intellectual property barrier around Anteris’ key technologies particularly for its ComASUR transfemoral delivery system and maintains product sterile status in the delivery chain from manufacturing point to surgical theatre.
The patent will help protect against potential product counterfeit and adds to product commercial value.
ComASUR catheter
ComASUR is a commissural alignment device that can help surgeons most accurately position the heart valve, which expands like a balloon when it is put in place.
With three key technologies working in tandem, Anteris believes it is well-positioned to transform the TAVR (transcatheter aortic valve replacement) space.
Following a busy 2020, when the company’s 3D, single-piece aortic heart valve moved from concept to product status, Anteris is eager to spend the coming years achieving the regulatory milestones necessary to get its technology to the market.
Breakthrough in manufacturing
Earlier this month, Anteris achieved a breakthrough in manufacturing the tissue used in ADAPT treated products from bovine pericardium, after developing specialised machinery to create consistently thin tissue through an innovative processing technique.
This process reduces the native pericardial thickness to yield tissue with the desired thickness to make its 3D single-piece aortic valves.
Anteris says thinning tissue on-demand is a challenging engineering feat, which is achieved by several custom equipment iterations and parameter adjustments.
Tissue tests demonstrated tensile strength properties equivalent to current ADAPT treated pericardia.
Valve durability studies proving absolute equivalence between the processed tissue and native (thin) tissue are the confirmatory next step.
The company has also lodged patent applications to protect its intellectual property in this breakthrough development.