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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
France's CARMAT is back with promising news: its Aeson total artificial heart cleared a major clinical milestone. The EFICAS study found that 72.7% of patients met the 180-day survival composite endpoint — nearly double the historical benchmark of 38%. Patients also saw dramatic improvements in walking ability and quality of life, signaling a shift from last-resort rescue to a genuine heart replacement therapy.
France's CARMAT — fresh off bankruptcy proceedings — is making a comeback with compelling clinical data on its Aeson total artificial heart (TAH). Results from the EFICAS study, presented at ESC Congress 2026 and published in the European Heart Journal, show the device performing well above expectations in some of the sickest heart failure patients around.
The prospective, multicenter study enrolled 55 patients across 10 French hospitals between December 2022 and May 2025. Nearly half had the most severe heart failure classifications (INTERMACS 1–2), and over a third were on emergency life support (VA-ECMO) at the time of implantation — making these outcomes all the more striking.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: For patients with advanced heart failure who aren't candidates for a left ventricular assist device, options are extremely limited. The Aeson data suggest this fully implantable artificial heart could evolve from a bridge-to-transplant stopgap into a longer-term solution — and CARMAT is now pushing for reimbursement approval on the strength of these findings.
