Revolutionizing Heart Failure Management: CardioMEMS
CardioMEMS, a medical device company born from a collaboration between Georgia Tech professor Dr. Mark Allen and renowned interventional cardiologist Dr. Jay Yadav, represents a pioneering vision of how heart failure can be treated and managed. Having early roots in Tech Square, the company quickly innovated in the biomedical field. Today, CardioMEMS operates as part of Abbott, continuing its mission to improve the lives of those with heart failure through its groundbreaking technology: the CardioMEMS HF System.
Dr. Jay Yadav, a serial entrepreneur with a history of successful startups, envisioned a transformative way to address heart failure — a chronic condition that affects millions worldwide. CardioMEMS began as a startup with strong ties to Georgia Tech, combining cutting-edge research from university professors with Dr. Yadav’s medical expertise. The company’s foundation was built on a bold question: how could sensor technology advance the treatment of heart disease and provide more effective, preventive care?
CardioMEMS’s initial focus was on abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair. Their first device, EndoSure, was an implantable sensor that monitored the success of AAA surgeries, providing critical insights for acute care. While this early product demonstrated the potential of its technology, the company soon pivoted to chronic care applications, setting the stage for its flagship innovation — the CardioMEMS HF System.
The CardioMEMS HF System
Jenna Settle, a biomedical engineer and Georgia Tech alum who has been with the company since 2013, notes, “The sensor delivery system was designed to be added to a right heart catheterization procedure because we wanted to make it as simple as possible for the doctors. The question was posed: How can we make a device compatible with an already existing and familiar procedure?”
This focus on usability and integration led to developing a sensor that could be implanted during a routine right heart catheterization procedure. This approach significantly streamlined the adoption of a novel device concept. The team’s commitment to preventive care guided their design philosophy, ensuring the device could seamlessly provide critical data outside traditional hospital settings.
Initially headquartered in Tech Square, CardioMEMS moved to Legacy Labs a few years after its founding. This relocation symbolized the company’s growth, and Legacy Labs provided a space for collaboration and further development of their technology.
CardioMEMS’s trajectory also included significant partnerships and acquisitions. St. Jude Medical, a leader in cardiovascular care, first acquired the company. Shortly thereafter, St. Jude Medical itself was absorbed by Abbott, where CardioMEMS continues to thrive as a cornerstone of Abbott’s heart failure solutions.
The CardioMEMS HF System, approved by the FDA in 2014, remains the company’s flagship product. This tiny sensor, implanted into the pulmonary artery during a right heart catheterization procedure, enables daily monitoring of pulmonary artery pressures — a critical indicator of worsening heart failure. Indicated for patients with Class II or Class III heart failure, the sensor wirelessly transmits data to healthcare providers, allowing for real-time insights and early intervention.
“The whole point of this is preventative care,” Jenna explains. Traditionally, monitoring pulmonary artery pressures required hospitalization and specialized equipment. The CardioMEMS HF System, however, allows patients to be monitored from virtually anywhere — whether at home, work, or on the go. By providing actionable data remotely, the device empowers physicians to adjust treatments proactively, often preventing hospitalization and improving patients’ quality of life.
Today, the CardioMEMS HF System continues to set the standard for remote monitoring technology in cardiology. Jenna says, “CardioMEMS started as a vision for how heart failure can be treated and managed.” That vision has since become a lifesaving reality for countless patients worldwide. CardioMEMS exemplifies the transformative potential of biomedical engineering through its innovative approach to preventive care.