Cardiost

What Cardiost does

Cardiost, Inc. is a pre-clinical medical device company headquartered in Houston, Texas, developing two cardiovascular implant programs targeting late-stage heart failure (LAUD) and acute myocardial infarction (ThromBust). The company was co-founded by Nicolás Anzellini (CEO, Engineer/MBA) and Dr. Fernando J. Anzellini (CMO, Cardiologist & Internist), and operates residencies at Johnson & Johnson Innovation's JLABS and the Center for Device Innovation (CDI), both at the Texas Medical Center. Its scientific advisory board includes Dr. Daniel Burkhoff (Cardiovascular Research Foundation), Dr. Daniel J. Goldstein (Montefiore), and Dr. Pedro R. Moreno (Mount Sinai).

LAUD (Left Atrium Unloading Device) is a fully implantable, durable mechanical circulatory support (MCS) device designed for NYHA Class III-IV heart failure patients, including HFpEF patients for whom no FDA-approved MCS currently exists. Rather than unloading the left ventricle like traditional LVADs, LAUD unloads the left atrium into the descending aorta through thoracoscopic implantation, reducing pulmonary congestion without direct LV manipulation. The architecture incorporates a CFD-optimized centrifugal pump (validated through SimVascular and ANSYS simulations with the University of Denver Cardiovascular Biomechanics Lab), Venturi-based flow acceleration technology (referencing U.S. Patent No. 7,384,389), a transcutaneous energy transfer (TET) system to eliminate percutaneous drivelines, and an in-development fully magnetically levitated (FML) motor via CU Boulder. ThromBust is a first-in-class implantable AMI-response system designed to detect heart attacks in real time and automatically deliver thrombolytic therapy, compressing pain-to-needle time from a current 2-3 hour average to under 5 minutes.

Cardiost is pre-revenue and pre-commercial, with the only disclosed capital being a $150,000 Colorado OEDIT proof-of-concept grant. The go-to-market approach upon FDA approval is direct sales to hospitals and cardiac surgery centers through enterprise field sales, supported by clinical validation through academic collaborations and regulatory strategy work with CSSI Lifesciences (PMA pathway). Legal counsel is provided by Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati and IP strategy by Dorsey & Whitney. Active collaborators include Texas Heart Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Phoenix DeVentures, and the University of Colorado Boulder, with the company a winner of the NIA Startup Challenge 2023.

Name

Cardiost

Legal name

Cardiost, Inc.

Website

https://cardiost.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cardiost is a Houston-based pre-clinical medical device company developing two cardiovascular implant programs: LAUD, an MCS device for late-stage heart failure including HFpEF, and ThromBust, an implantable AMI-response system for automated thrombolytic delivery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cardiovascular Medical Devices

NAICS

Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510)

SIC

Electromedical & Electrotherapeutic Apparatus (3845)

akta.pro primary industry

Mechanical Circulatory Support (VAD, IABP, ECMO) (HLAHAFAG)

Keywords

• Mechanical circulatory support
• Heart failure devices
• Implantable cardiac devices
• Acute myocardial infarction
• Left ventricular assist

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Medical Device Sales: Cardiost is a pre-revenue medical device company developing two breakthrough cardiovascular devices (LAUD and ThromBust). Once commercialized, revenue will be generated through direct sales of implantable medical devices to hospitals and healthcare systems, likely with associated service, training, and support components.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Cardiost develops two breakthrough cardiovascular implantable medical devices: LAUD, a fully implantable mechanical circulatory support device that unloads the left atrium into the descending aorta for late-stage heart failure (NYHA Class III-IV) patients, including HFpEF patients for whom no FDA-approved MCS exists; and ThromBust, a first-in-class implantable system that detects heart attacks in real time and automatically delivers thrombolytic therapy to reduce pain-to-needle time to under 5 minutes.

Product overview

Cardiost develops two breakthrough cardiovascular medical device programs: LAUD (Left Atrium Unloading Device) and ThromBust. LAUD is a fully implantable mechanical circulatory support device designed for late-stage heart failure patients (NYHA Class III-IV) that unloads the left atrium into the descending aorta through thoracoscopic implantation. ThromBust is an implantable acute myocardial infarction response system that detects heart attacks in real time and automatically delivers clot-dissolving therapy. Both products target critical unmet needs in cardiac care where no FDA-approved solutions currently exist.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• LAUD (Left Atrium Unloading Device)

Quantifiable outcome

• Cardiac output increase of up to 33% with LAUD
• +5 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Phoenix DeVenturescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Collaboration with Phoenix DeVentures for development of ThromBust alpha prototype, now ready for first in-animal studies. Also collaborating on CATALYZE PROGRAM grant submission with Texas Heart Institute and University of Wisconsin-Madison for high-precision magnetic levitation motor development.
• Texas Heart InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Part of CATALYZE PROGRAM collaboration for developing high-precision magnetic levitation motor for LAUD centrifugal pump system. The program leverages regulatory, engineering, toxicology, marketing, and commercialization experts.
• University of Wisconsin-MadisoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Part of CATALYZE PROGRAM collaboration with Texas Heart Institute and Phoenix DeVentures to support development of high-precision magnetic levitation motor for LAUD centrifugal pump system.
• Center for Device Innovation (CDI) at Texas Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2024Cardiost secured additional R&D space and residency at CDI, led by Dr. William Cohn, MD. CDI provides a unique platform combining advanced prototyping capabilities, direct clinical collaboration, and targeted commercialization support. Residency strengthens Cardiost's ability to rapidly iterate and validate critical components of the LAUD.
• Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati (WSGR)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 June 2024Engaged as lead legal counsel supporting corporate, venture financing, regulatory, and intellectual property matters. One of the premier law firms for high-growth technology and life sciences companies with extensive track record guiding medical device innovators.
• Johnson & Johnson Innovation - JLABScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2023Cardiost is a resident company at JLABS at Texas Medical Center. Provides access to world-class laboratory facilities, strategic mentorship, and deep industry connections. JLABS operates under the broader J&J Innovation umbrella, which demonstrated strong focus on mechanical circulatory support through its $16 billion acquisition of Abiomed in 2022, aligning with Cardiost's LAUD development.
• Universidad de los Andes, ColombiaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2023Additional set of simulations completed in December 2023 under the direction of Dr. Juan M. Cordovez, PhD (Director of Bio-mathematical research laboratory - BIOMAC) and David Bigio from the Biomedical Engineering department.
• University of Colorado BouldercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2023Cardiost sponsors two senior engineering projects through CU Boulder Biomedical Engineering Capstone Program: (1) Transcutaneous Energy Transfer (TET) system development to eliminate percutaneous drivelines, and (2) Fully magnetically levitated (FML) motor design. Team TET 2.0 achieved significant milestones including 50%+ PCB size reduction.
• University of Denver Cardiovascular Biomechanics Lab (DUCBL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2022Collaboration with Dr. Ali N. Azadani, PhD for Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations and in-vitro experiments to validate LAUD design. Through Master Research Agreements, Cardiost maintains full ownership of all resulting intellectual property. Completed three phases of CFD simulations using SimVascular and ANSYS, and in-vitro flow loop testing.
• Innosphere VenturescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2021Life sciences incubator and commercialization program based in Colorado. Provides access to sector-specific advisors, capital resources, and commercialization expertise. Maintains an active investment fund focused on accelerating promising companies within its portfolio.
• CSSI LifesciencescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEngaged to help strategize and navigate the regulatory path from animal studies to PMA submission for FDA clearance to market the LAUD device.
• Dorsey & Whitney LLPcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHired for IP development and strategy. One patent granted, two pending as a result of this engagement.
• CSU Ventures Research-to-Market WorkshopminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAccepted into Research-to-Market (R2M) Workshop, a 5-week program intended to ensure product-market fit for participating teams.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cardiost

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cardiost