Imagine the heart's electrical system is like a set of wires that have frayed or broken, causing an irregular beat. This project creates a special 'conductive ink' made of tiny metal wires in a gel that can be painted onto the heart using a thin tube. This ink acts like a bridge, reconnecting the electrical paths so the heart beats in sync again.
Current treatments for Atrial Fibrillation and Left Bundle Branch Blocks have low efficacy (35-60%) and poor biocompatibility. This leads to high healthcare costs and severe outcomes like stroke and heart failure.
CardioINK, a composite biomaterial of noble metal nanowires in a collagen-alginate hydrogel, and a specialized minimally invasive delivery catheter.
If you are a cardiac implant manufacturer dealing with the low 35-60% efficacy of current arrhythmia therapies — this project developed CardioINK that restores cardiac signaling. This could replace or augment traditional pacing systems with a biocompatible material.
If you are a clinic network dealing with high patient volumes of the 13-22 million EU citizens with impaired conductivity — this project developed a minimally invasive delivery method. This reduces the need for costly follow-up treatments associated with current therapies.
If you are a biotech firm dealing with poor biocompatibility in heart implants — this project developed a noble metal-based nanowire composite in a collagen-alginate hydrogel. This provides a blueprint for high-efficacy conductive materials in other organ systems.
Based on available project data, specific pricing is not mentioned, but the project aims to reduce the 2.6% of annual EU healthcare expenditure currently spent on these conditions.
The project includes two industrial partners and one SME to develop a commercialization strategy, suggesting a move toward industrial scaling.
Based on available project data, the consortium is developing a commercialization and regulatory strategy for both EU and US markets, though specific licensing terms are not listed.
The project runs from September 2025 to August 2029, with the goal of reaching first-in-human trials by the end of the period.
CardioINK is designed to be delivered using specialized minimally invasive catheters, allowing it to fit into existing catheterization lab workflows.
The consortium is well-balanced for commercial transition, featuring a 25% industry ratio with 2 industrial partners and 1 SME. Led by a major university hospital (Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg) and involving 8 partners across 5 countries (AT, BE, DE, IE, NL), the group combines clinical expertise with research and industrial capacity to bridge the gap between animal testing and human trials.
Contact Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg regarding the CardioINK commercialization strategy.
Contact us to connect with the NANOBEAT consortium for licensing opportunities.
