atHeart Medical, a medical device company dedicated to establishing the new standard of care for closure of atrial septal defects (ASD), commenced operations and is initiating its US Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) trial. The company led by seasoned global MedTech executive Laurent Grandidier, with support from an exceptional management team that has decades of experience with medical device start-ups and major corporations.
The reSept ASD Occluder is the first occluder with a metal-free, bioresorbable frame. The implant is poised to overcome the limitations of current occluders reducing the risk of complications associated with the long-term presence of metal in the heart and preserving future treatment options requiring transseptal intervention. Initial clinical experience demonstrates long-term clinically effective closure of the ASDs treated with the company’s device.
Laurent Grandidier, CEO, atHeart Medical, said: “I am excited to lead atHeart Medical and for the potential of our first product, the reSept ASD Occluder, for patients requiring ASD closure. With such an experienced team, we have hit the ground running and are focused on preparing initial clinical sites in our US IDE pivotal trial.”
The ASCENT-ASD pivotal trial is an FDA-approved IDE study that will evaluate the safety and efficacy of the reSept ASD Occluder for treating patients with clinically significant, isolated ASD. Primary endpoints will be compared, with established performance goals for previously FDA-approved transcatheter ASD occluders.

Larry Latson, MD, Co-Principal Investigator of the IDE trial and Director of Pediatric Interventional Cardiology, Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood, Florida, said: “Currently available occluders leave a significant amount of metal in the heart causing which could cause issues later in life. The unique design of this bioresorbable frame is promising, especially for my younger patients. I look forward to this upcoming trial.”