Novel Cardiac Implant Provides Life-Saving Treatment for Heart Failure Patients

By HospiMedica International staff writers
Posted on 19 Jun 2024

Image: The C-MIC device is a novel cardiac implant that redefines heart failure therapy (Photo courtesy of Berlin Heals)

Heart failure caused by cardiomyopathy is a chronic inflammatory condition where the heart muscle fails to pump sufficient blood to meet the body’s demand for blood and oxygen. It is a progressive disease that becomes increasingly difficult to manage over time. To date, no medical device, drug, or therapy has been able to reverse heart failure, allowing patients to maintain a normal and active lifestyle. Now, a novel cardiac implant aims to provide a breakthrough treatment for patients with heart failure.

The C-MIC (Cardiac Microcurrent Therapy Device) is a small, implantable device developed by Berlin Heals (Zug, Switzerland) that represents a groundbreaking, life-saving treatment option for heart failure. The device utilizes electrical microcurrents to remove excess edema from heart cells through electroosmosis while simultaneously encouraging a transition from reverse remodeling to actual myocardial recovery. It achieves reverse remodeling of cardiac muscle tissue by delivering a constant, low-level direct current (DC), mimicking physiological microcurrents, through two leads/electrodes—one attached to the epicardium of the left ventricle and the other inside the right ventricular cavity. This continuous electrical microcurrent not only reduces inflammation in the heart tissue but also helps expel excess fluid from the heart.

This patented technology is easy to implant and has demonstrated significant clinical improvements in heart failure patients. In a randomized study, 35 C-MIC devices have been successfully implanted, with patients showing rapid enhancements in heart function, heart size, and overall quality of life shortly after receiving the C-MIC. Remarkably, patients' average walking distance in six minutes nearly doubled after four weeks, and their typically enlarged hearts due to dilated cardiomyopathies decreased in size. The electrical microcurrent was imperceptible to the patients and did not affect their heart rhythm. No specific side medication or additional procedures were necessary post-implantation, and the improvements were sustained and even increased over a six-month period. Berlin Heals anticipates CE certification by the end of 2025 or early 2026. Due to its significant benefits for patients, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is particularly supportive of the approval process for the C-MIC implant in the USA.

"We are convinced that we have developed a product for the treatment of severe heart failure that will restore quality of life to many patients worldwide and significantly extend their life expectancy,” said Marko Bagaric, Chief Executive Officer of Berlin Heals Holding AG. “I am convinced that C-MIC will set a new standard in the treatment of these patients in the future. After a short operation, an imperceptible, constant microcurrent flows, which ensures that patients feel very well again within a few weeks."

Related Links:
Berlin Heals