Feasibility of the SCD in Cardiorenal Syndrome Patients Awaiting LVAD

Brief Summary

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality in the US, accounting for 45% of all deaths. Chronic Heart Failure (CHF) is now understood to be a multi-system disease process involving not only the cardiovascular system but also the renal, neuroendocrine, and immune systems. No effective therapy is currently available to treat the most severe subset of CHF patients that have progressed to acute decompensated HF. An innovative approach to reduce the cardio-depressant effects associated with the chronic inflammatory state of CHF may provide a breakthrough for this disorder. This proposal will evaluate the safety and probable benefit to improve cardiac or renal function with an immunomodulatory device to bridge patients to Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) implantation who were previously deemed ineligible for this life sustaining procedure. The Selective Cytopheretic Device (SCD) is an immuno-regulating, extracorporeal membrane device targeted to modulate the cardiodepressant effects assocaited with CHF. SCD is a platform technology focused on immunomodulation of acute and chronic inflammation associated with acute and chronic organ dysfunction. SCD membranes selectively sequester activated systemic leukocytes as they flow through the cartridge via an extracorporeal circuit. Pre-clinical results show that SCD treatment results in a 25% improvement in ejection fraction in a canine CHF model. This study will enroll 20 patients across up to 5 clinical sites to evaluate the safety and initial efficacy data of SCD treatment in this indication. Patients will receive 4-hour daily SCD treatment for up to 6 days, followed by 6 months of follow up.