China approves new domestically developed 'artificial heart'

TIANJIN -- China's National Medical Products Administration has issued marketing approval for a China-developed "artificial heart" for severe heart failure.

The "heart" is an implantable ferrofluids-driven left ventricular assist device, according to the TEDA International Cardiovascular Hospital based in north China's Tianjin Municipality.

It was developed by the hospital and the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, who have cooperated to carry out research on the third-generation ventricular assist device in China since 2009.

The Annual Report on Cardiovascular Health and Diseases in China (2021) released in late June estimated that some 8.9 million patients in China suffer from heart failure.

From September 2020 to August 2021, the National Medical Products Administration approved 68 medical devices to enter its "innovative medical device evaluation channel," including 58 that were originated in China, the report said.