The project

BRAVꓱ at a glance

Computational biomechanics and bioengineering 3D printing to develop a personalised regenerative biological ventricular assist device to provide lasting functional support to damaged hearts.

The BRAVꓱ project aims to develop a regenerative treatment for ischemic heart disease (IHD): an innovative biological ventricular assist device (BioVAD). It is a scaffold that is disposed over the injured area and helps the cardiac cells to make the contraction force needed for an adequate pumping. BRAVꓱ will develop a tailored structure that will be seeded with human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), creating cardiac tissue that will be integrated in the patient’s heart.

This approach aims to replace current ventricular assist devices (VADs) to provide temporal functional support to damaged hearts but can’t replace the function of the lost cardiac muscle.

As IHD is the leading single cause of death in the European Union, this approach aims to improve the patient’s quality of life with a single intervention.

The project in numbers

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8 M€ Funding
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Clinical Partners
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Impacts

  • A lifetime therapy: BRAVꓱ focuses on design to provide a one-shot solution. BioVADs will supply new muscle where it is needed and recover the cardiac function.

  • Personalised treatment: each BioVAD will be tailored to the patient in terms of size and geometry.

  • Reducing the burden on healthcare systems: the BioVAD will reduce the continuous medical assistance and medication that IHD patients require.

  • Speeding up translation: BRAVꓱ will test its solution in pigs, as its heart is the most similar to the human one. This way, BioVADs can reach faster the clinic.

  • Advances in cardiology: thanks to its multidisciplinary team, BRAV∃ will shed light on the development and physiology of the heart. This may open the door to use this approach to treat other cardiac conditions.

Project structure

General Assembly

FELIPE PROSPER

Universidad de Navarra

JÜRGEN GROLL

University Hospital Würzburg

NURIA MONSERRAT

Fundacio Institut de Bioenginyeria
de Catalunya

MANUEL DOBLARÉ

Universidad de Zaragoza

PETER BOVENDEERD

Technische Universiteit
Eindhoven

Fº FERNANDEZ-AVILÉS

Servicio Madrileño de Salud

PAULA ALVES

Instituto de Biologia
Experimental e Tecnologica

PEDRO MOREO

EBERS Medical Technology

STEFAN JANSSENS

Katholieke Universiteit Leuven

JOS MALDA

Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht

ANE M. ZALDÚA

Leartiker

AIDEN FLANAGAN

Boston Scientific

JOHANNES PAULIDES

AE Medicalis

JEANETT BOLTHER

PNO Innovation

Steering Committee

FELIPE PROSPER

Universidad de Navarra

JÜRGEN GROLL

University Hospital Würzburg

NURIA MONSERRAT

Fundacio Institut de Bioenginyeria
de Catalunya

ANE M. ZALDÚA

Leartiker

PETER BOVENDEERD

Technische Universiteit
Eindhoven

STEFAN JANSSENS

Katholieke Universiteit Leuven

PAULA ALVES

Instituto de Biologia
Experimental e Tecnologica

JEANETT BOLTHER

PNO Innovation

Innovation & Exploitation Committee

FELIPE PROSPER

Universidad de Navarra

STEFAN JANSSENS

Katholieke Universiteit Leuven

JÜRGEN GROLL

University Hospital Würzburg

PAULA ALVES

Instituto de Biologia
Experimental e Tecnologica

NURIA MONSERRAT

Fundacio Institut de Bioenginyeria
de Catalunya

PETER BOVENDEERD

Technische Universiteit
Eindhoven

JEANETT BOLTHER

PNO Innovation

ANA ESPERT

PNO Innovation

AIDEN FLANAGAN

Boston Scientific

JOHANNES PAULIDES

AE Medicalis

OSCAR GONZÁLEZ

Universidad de Navarra

External Advisory Board

PHILIPPE MENASCHÉ

Hôpital Européen Georges-Pompidou

ELENA DE JUAN

The University of Western Australia

MAXIME SERMESANT

Université Côte D’Azur

CARLIJN BOUTEN

Technische Universiteit Eindhoven

ANA ARANDA

Servicio Murciano de Salud

ANTONIO PARDO

Universidad de Navarra

TOMAS FAJARDO

CardioAlianza