Carmat recently announced that its artificial heart was successfully implanted into a person on Dec. 18 during a procedure performed by the Georges Pompidou European Hospital team in Paris.

The French company two days later was reporting that the patient, monitored in the intensive care unit, was awake and talking with his family.

“We are delighted with this first implant, although it is premature to draw conclusions given that a single implant has been performed and that we are in the early postoperative phase,” says Carmat’sCEO Marcello Conviti.

The French Health Authority ANSM recently approved human trials for the Carmat artificial heart.

Carmat's artificial heart seeks to imitate the natural heart through size, the choice of structural materials, and innovative physiological functions.  

Carmat’s board of directors includes Alain Carpentier, considered the father of modern heart valve surgery, and the company has drawn on the aerospace engineering expertise of Astrium, anEADS company.

The artificial heart is constructed using both manmade and biological materials and is designed to last five years. Each of the 900 components must function flawlessly and has been the subject of exhaustive computer and test bench evaluation.

Its artificial heart seeks to imitate the natural heart through size, the choice of structural materials, and innovative physiological functions.  

Bpifrance has provided Carmatwith a €33 million subsidy. The amount translates into about $45 million.