The rewarding ceremony of VII Russian Innovations contest took place in Central scientist’s home in Moscow on June 5th. This year there were 570 innovative projects fro different fields of science, manufacture and hi tech.  This is the record for all such contests. Expert board chose six winner-projects in nominations “Innovative project”, “Perspective project”, “the history of success”, “Innovation in nanotechnology”, “Manufacture innovation”, “Innovation for consumer market”.

All winners got statuettes “hope” made by sculptor Nadegda Sidorina, and special awards and prizes. The partners for the contest this time were companies IBS, Uralchim, Russian corporation of nanotechnologies and firm “ROSCOM” from Krasnodar, who won the contest few years ago. The minister of education and science of Russia Andrey Fursenko, the deputy of the minister of economic development Andrey Klepach and minister of manufacture and trade Viktor Christenko (his speech was performed by his subordinate) were saying that innovative process in Russia is now more mature – and really, most winners of this year earn good money, have manufacture and exploit innovative infrastructure. There are prerequisites for building innovative economy – the man thing for today is not to make innovator afraid, to help him and to look at his problems more carefully.

Three leaflets for the new heart

The expert board of the Russian innovations contest named “the best innovative project” and gave the grand-Prix for the project “Tri-leaflet artificial heart valve”, developed by company Roscardioinvest. The project gets financing from Russian support fund for small businesses in science and technical field and special prize from the partner of the contest company “IBS”.

Tri-leaflet heart valve repeats the nature valve, before it single- and bi-leaflet valves were used. The first implantation of this valve was performed in June 2007. It was successfully made by famous cardio surgeon Leo Bokeria in Bakulev’s research center for cardiovascular surgery. For today clinical trials are finished in two more centers. The main body of the project is scientists from soviet military system, from factory “EMITRON”.

The first artificial heart valve was made in USA. Cardio surgeon Gleb Soloviev in 1961 brought the valve in USSR and in 1962 almost the same ball-valve was made on Kirovo-Chepetsk chemical company. And it was used for nearly 20 years. The same history was at the end of 1970s, when ball-valves were replaced by single-leaflet (disk) valves. The wife of one government official was operated abroad. Just in case surgeons prepare two valves of different sizes, not to make mistake. So the remained valve was brought in the USSR. In the Ministry of electronic manufacture saw the valve and thought that it is possible to make the same valve themselves. They made an order and after some time samples were brought to the Ministry. One of them was from the factory “EMITRON”, a military factory.

“In laboratories of this factory the first heart valve was made by the team of Naum Iofis. Of course we did not try to make everything ourselves: we had an American sample. At the beginning we just tried to copy it – says ex-employee of “EMITRON”, now the deputy of general director in Roscardioinvest Regina Kevorkova – but we soon understood that we should stop it because we were not satisfied with American model. Especially the fact that the holders of the disc were welded to the valve ring at it causes breakage. Later on it was proved in practice. Thank God that not with our valves.”

All American materials were changed for the better Russian materials and finally first single-leaflet heart valve “EMIKS” was made. It was at the beginning of 1990s – privatization and changes in USSR. The factory “EMITRON” was destroyed and in 1992 was made company Roscardioinvest which continued to work on heart valves. Roscardioinvest produced its own single-leaflet valve “MIKS”. And Americans since 1985 started to produce bi-leaflet heart valves. And again we had to overtake them. Roscardioinvest performed its bi-leaflet valve in 2002 and now it is successfully used in clinics (market share of Roscardioinvest in Russia is near 50%).

“All the time we tried to follow Americans – says Regina Kevorkova - and it was offensively, because we have enough knowledge and illusions to be first, to make a tri-leaflet valve like natural one. And our boss Alexander Samkov set this task”. The new model had to be as close as possible to the natural valve. Bi-leaflet heart valve is not perfect. In the centre of the ring two leaflets make not big but still some disturbance for the blood flow. And it caused thrombus. That’s why operated patients have to take special anticoagulant medicines during all their lives. New valve in theory can solve this problem as it has three leaflets which open like petals of lily.

Some people think that it is not so hard to make such valve. “But American scientists try to make it already for 15 years. – says Regina – The have some models, but they are still not on clinical trials.” But new valve “TRICARDIKS” was made, all in-vitro testing also was done and first human implantation was performed in June, 2007. The operation was made, as it was said before. By Leo Bokeria in Bakulevs research center for cardiovascular surgery. For today clinical trials are finished in two centers – in Bakulev’s 14 valves were implanted, in Russian scientific center of surgery – 10 valves. In the third clinic - 3rd central clinic of Vishnevskiy, Russian Department of defense – clinical trials will finish in autumn, and for today 6 valves were implanted. Cardio surgeon of Central clinic Alexander Lishuk says -”Tri-leaflet heart valve is outstanding device, it gives real central blood flow. We successfully used bi-leaflet heart valves of the company Roscardioinvest and we hope that results of ongoing trials will also be successful. Although it will be possible to say about final results after 2-3 years of follow-up”.

General Director of Roscardioinvest Alexander Samkov: “We did it first in the world. But we do not have enough forces to enter the world market. We need new manufacture basis, investments in new technology with new materials for design, which will help to make the valve cheap and bring hand work to minimum.” Samkov is dreaming about such hi-tech manufacture which will correspond to hi-tech ambitions of the company. The lodgment for such manufacture is already built, but not enough money for new technologies and for certification is EU. For this purposes the company needs not so much money – near 25 million Euros.