Quality of life,
beyond a healthy heart.
THe challenge is from within.
Cardiost: Innovating the Future of Heart Failure and AMI Care
Cardiost is a cardiovascular medical device company developing transformative solutions for two of the most urgent challenges in cardiac care: advanced-stage heart failure and acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Based in Houston, Texas—and a proud resident of Johnson & Johnson Innovation’s JLABS as well as ther Center for Device Innovation (CDI), both at the Texas Medical Center—Cardiost is advancing a portfolio of patient-centered technologies with the potential to dramatically improve quality of life, reduce hospitalizations, and save lives.
Founded by Nicolás Anzellini (Engineer, MBA) and Dr. Fernando J. Anzellini (Cardiologist & Internist), Cardiost is currently developing two breakthrough programs:
🔵 LAUD – Left Atrium Unloading Device
A fully implantable, durable mechanical circulatory support (MCS) device for patients with late-stage heart failure (NYHA Class III-IV). Unlike traditional LVADs, LAUD unloads the left atrium (LA)—not the ventricle—into the descending aorta. This approach reduces pulmonary congestion and increases cardiac output while avoiding direct LV manipulation, driveline complications, and invasive surgery. Designed for thoracoscopic implantation, LAUD targets a large and underserved population, including patients with HFpEF, for whom no FDA-approved MCS solutions currently exist.
🔴 ThromBust – Ultra-Early Heart Attack Intervention
ThromBust is a first-in-class, implantable AMI-response system that detects heart attacks in real time and automatically delivers thrombolytic therapy—dramatically reducing pain-to-needle time to under 5 minutes. Built for high-risk patients, ThromBust shifts the paradigm from delayed, hospital-based treatment to immediate, in-body intervention, potentially reducing mortality, preserving heart muscle, and preventing long-term complications. It represents a bold rethinking of emergency cardiac care.
A Critical Need in Cardiac Care
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., and two of its most urgent challenges—heart failure (HF) and acute myocardial infarction (AMI)—are placing unprecedented strain on patients, providers, and health systems.
Over 7.8 million Americans live with heart failure, with that number expected to exceed 10 million by 2030. It’s the #1 cause of hospitalization in people over 65, and direct medical costs are projected to reach $70 billion annually, driven largely by hospitalizations and readmissions.
Heart attacks affect 800,000 Americans each year, including 200,000 repeat cases. While early intervention is critical, the average pain-to-needle time (PNT) still ranges from 2 to 3 hours, far beyond the clinical goal of under 1 hour. Alarmingly, every 30-minute delay in treatment increases the risk of death within one year by 7.5%.
And yet, fewer than 10% of eligible patients receive durable mechanical circulatory support (MCS)—often due to surgical complexity, device limitations, or lack of access. Meanwhile, real-time AMI response remains bound by logistical and systemic barriers.
Cardiost is developing breakthrough solutions to close both gaps—starting with LAUD and ThromBust.