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SUZHOU, China, April 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Today, April 1st, Peijia Medical Technology (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. held a strategic innovation cooperation signing ceremony and a press conference to announce the research and development achievements of polymer heart valves using ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) from the Biomedical business of dsm-firmenich, innovators in nutrition, health, and beauty, at Peijia Medical’s global headquarters. The signing of the strategic innovation partnership agreement between the two parties will further focus on the research and development innovation of polymer heart valve materials, which is expected to initiate an epoch-making transformation in the field of high-end medical device materials worldwide.
Peijia Medical is a leading enterprise in the field of high-end medical devices for structural heart disease and cerebrovascular intervention in China. It boasts a comprehensive portfolio of structural heart disease products and a product development team that covers major valvular diseases and next-generation core technologies, as well as a complete range of commercialized products and innovative procedural combinations for the hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke markets. In 2024, Peijia Medical’s sales revenue 615 million RMB, marking a year-on-year increase of approximately 40%.
The Biomedical business of dsm-firmenich is headquartered in Pennsylvania, USA, with offices and an Innovation & Application Center in the Netherlands and Shanghai, China. As part of the dsm-firmenich group, Biomedical has unmatched expertise in biomaterials and their applications, helping partners such as Peijia create groundbreaking innovations for patients everywhere.
In this collaboration, Peijia Medical and Biomedical have joined forces to achieve a new breakthrough in the research and development of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) heart valve materials. According to the agreement, the two parties will establish a long-term, stable, and mutually beneficial strategic innovation partnership. Using dsm-firmenich biomaterials, the respective R&D teams will collaborate on the design and development of new high-end medical device products, the optimization of key raw material properties, the research and development of new materials, as well as the development and application of advanced manufacturing processes and technologies, all based on UHMWPE materials.
Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber is a lightweight and high-strength polymer material, boasting a strength 15 times that of steel structures of the same size. Utilizing ultra-fine fibers and through unique weaving and multi-layer fusion technologies, polymer valve materials can be produced, which can perfectly replace the existing animal-derived materials for heart valves. There is significant potential for advancement in the flexibility and biocompatibility of the product, enabling a revolutionary iterative upgrade of valve materials.
Polymer valve materials are a type of non-biological, inorganic material with distinct advantages in physical and biochemical properties, as well as lifespan, and are also suitable for younger patients. Compared to traditional animal-derived valve materials, polymer valve materials offer two major advantages: on one hand, they enhance product longevity and broaden the range of indications; on the other hand, they reduce costs and are suitable for mass production. This is of significant importance for the development of the heart valve market and for benefiting a larger patient population.
The polymer valve independently developed by Peijia Medical is a novel type of polymer valve that utilizes a five-layer bionic polymer fiber fabric as the valve material, simulating the functions of the corresponding layers of the human body’s own valve leaflets, thus more closely approximating the various functions of the human body’s own valves. This product has demonstrated stable hemodynamics after 400 million cycles of accelerated fatigue testing, showcasing exceptional durability, with an expected lifespan far exceeding that of current biological source valve materials. The development of this product has been successfully selected as a key core technology research project in Suzhou’s global “unveiling and leading” initiative. Currently, the product has completed animal testing and is preparing to enter clinical trials.
Pan Kongrong, Chief Operating Officer of Peijia Medical, stated that on the basis of years of collaboration with Biomedical, the two companies will now enter a deeper level of synergy. The development of polymer valve leaflet materials, as a core platform technology of Peijia Medical, once completed, will be applied across various product lines to enhance the performance of each product and unlock the application of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene in the field of structural heart disease.
Paul Spencer, President of the Biomedical division at dsm-firmenich, noted “At dsm-firmenich, we are committed to advancing vascular care with innovative biomaterial solutions that support the goals of driving better clinical outcomes, reducing healthcare costs, and improving the lives of patients worldwide. We are very excited to formally collaborate with Peijia to bring progress to life in China.”
