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Biotech / Medical : World Heart Corp - WHRT and TSE/WHT
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To: Dan Hamilton who wrote (299)10/4/1999 1:59:00 PM
From: Mindshare  Read Replies (1) of 500
 
The article you posted was one of the best I've seen. Very good summary of the current state of the industry. It's about time the competition in this field ramped up. TCI has been resting on past success too long.

I assure you when WorldHeart refers to "non-pulsatile" devices they are speaking directly about the DeBakey VAD and MicroMed. It is the only non-pulsatile pump ever totally implanted in a human.

TCI looks to be betting their future on their next generation pump per this article. Their next generation pump is a non-pulsatile axial flow device. It is less efficient and more complicated than the DeBakey VAD. If pulsing these devices proves necessary (which I don't think it will based on MicroMed's clinical trials), then the DeBakey pump is much better suited for rapid speed changes due to its lower rotating mass and more robust bearing system.

It's interesting that stock prices of TCI and WHRT were compared. It's also interesting to note that TCI's peak stock price was some 3000% above its IPO. The price has fallen substantially, but it shows the potential of a company that can truly seize this market, which TCI has failed to do.

I have to admit, I agree with TCI on pulsatile device placement. I don't like the idea of cramming a pump between the ribcage and lung either. I don't understand what Tofy means by using lung expansion for various purposes. Axial flow pumps fit just beneath the heart near the diaphragm. The fit is very nice and leads to much simpler surgery.

The market figure of $20 billion annually sounds high. But its important to note that current application of these devices is for patients near death. There are many more patients who are surviving with a very poor quality of life who are treated with drugs. If a device was ever proven safe and effective enough for widespread use with heart failure patients, $20 billion annual revenues would not be out of the question. The quality of life for an LVAD patient can potentially be much higher than for a drug treated patient.

In any event, its good to see the CEO's of these companies battling it out. It will lead to better devices. MicroMed's product and management are relatively new to this field and may not carry the same weight as others. But the story of a young upstart company taking over market share from older established rivals has been told many times and will happen many times again.
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