 "Healthy Heart via Shutterstock.")
As industry partner, TTK Healthcare's role would be to commercialise the technology as and when it is fully developed and ready for commercialisation after all regulatory clearances.
The research partners are working on developing low-cost replacement heart valves that promise to be superior to current mechical and tissue-based heart valves and reduce patiens need for medication to prevent blood clots.
The consortium is supported by a two year joint grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in US and Department of Biotechnology in India.
The artificial heart valves to be developed in this project will be made from flexible plastic materials containing hyaluronan, a molecule found throughout the body and in the natural valve tissues.
While patients who receive mechanical heart valves must remain on lifeling medication to prevent blood cotting, the bioprosthestic valves, usually made from animal tissue, are prone to hardening over time and dont last more than 10-15 years, which is not suitable for young patients with rheumatic valve disease for various reasons, said Principal Investigator Lakshmi Prasad Dasi. The valve design, which is under development, will be optimised for superior performance over a much longer period of time without the need for anticoagulation therapy, added the scientist.
The entire pre-clinicals trial will take place in India with involvement from TTK Healthcare, the manufacturer of the TTK Chitra Heart Valve.
"If successful, TTK Healthcare Ltd will seriously consider investing in commercialisation of the technology," said in the release.
Currently over 2.90 lakh heart valve procedures are performed annually worldwide and that the number is estimated to over 8.50 lakh by 2050, an expansion rate of 10-12 per cent per year.
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