Australian Firm Gets The Blood Pumping

HeartWare Ltd., an Australian company with an American office in Framingham, announced the first U.S. patient has received the company's miniaturized blood pump, which is the first of a clinical trial of 150 patients awaiting heart transplants.

The surgery took place at Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C., and was performed by Dr. Steven Boyce, surgical director of the Heart Failure Program at the hospital.

The pump is small enough to be put next to the patient's heart and is designed to avoid potentially more complicated abdominal implantation, according to the company.

This first use of Heartware's "left ventricular assist system" is the start of a U.S. Bridge-to-Transplant clinical trial where 150 patients at 28 medical centers around the country will receive the device.

"The start of our U.S. clinical trial is one of the most important milestones in the company's history," said Doug Godshall, HeartWare CEO and president.

HeartWare is based in Sydney, Australia, but has an American company, HeartWare Inc. with corporate offices in Framingham and a manufacturing facility in Florida.