[CIIE] US Heart Valve Maker Edwards Lifesciences Unveils PASCAL Precision System at CIIE

(Yicai) Nov. 10 -- US heart valve manufacturer Edwards Lifesciences is showcasing its new PASCAL Precision Transcatheter Valve Repair system at the Eighth China International Import Expo.

"This year we're excited to present the PASCAL Precision system for mitral and tricuspid regurgitation, making its CIIE debut following its launch in Hong Kong." said Ben Cheong, senior vice president and general manager for Greater China Region at Edwards Lifesciences.

The PASCAL Precision system marks Edwards Lifesciences' entry into the Chinese transcatheter mitral and tricuspid therapies market, expanding beyond its esFtablished transcatheter aortic valve replacement offerings.

Among China’s 25 million heart valve disease patients, a significant number are affected by mitral or tricuspid regurgitation. Without timely intervention, patients face a dramatically increased risk of mortality, underscoring the critical need for early treatment, Cheong noted.

Several products that Edwards Lifesciences brought to the previous CIIE editions have already entered clinical use.

The SAPIEN 3 Transcatheter Aortic Valve system, introduced at the CIIE in 2020, is now available in nearly 200 implanting institutions across China. The INSPIRIS RESILIA aortic valve, presented at the CIIE in 2020, has already treated over 4,000 patients and is supported by local post-market studies.

"This kind of local data is very, very important for doctors as a guide," Cheong said. “We're very happy to say that this year and next year, we'll be able to release early results of our post-market study of our INSPIRIS RESILIA.”

Clinical research at leading institutions, such as Fuwai Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University, is underway to assess INSPIRIS RESILIA's performance among Chinese patients and explore its application in younger aortic stenosis patients.

To strengthen clinical capabilities, Edwards Lifesciences has trained over 40,000 Chinese clinicians through its Surgical Academy centers and SAPIEN 3 Teaching Center of Excellence.

Edwards Lifesciences also deepened its collaboration with China’s Sinopharm Group and Shanghai Pharmaceuticals to enhance hospital access and distribution efficiency in the country.

"I think it's very important to have local partners, especially to make sure that we deliver our products more effectively and more efficiently to hospitals," Cheong noted. “We also think about more creative solutions to make sure that we deliver and help our patients and hospitals as best as we can.”

Looking ahead, Edwards Lifesciences is accelerating innovation. "We have PASCAL Precision system coming next year and the year after," he added. “We will have a new product, which is our SAPIEN 3 Ultra RESILIA, and more products beyond that."