About Us

The Company was founded in 2002 as Rhythm Therapeutics by venture capital investors and physician researchers from The Cleveland Clinic, UC, San Francisco and Imperial College (U.K.) to focus on developing novel ways to treat cardiac conduction abnormalities.  The Cardio Polymers name was adopted in 2003 to reflect a broader range of therapies aimed at treating heart failure in addition to cardiac arrhythmias. Currently headquartered in Orange County, California, the Company’s products employ proprietary biocompatible polymers delivered into specific locations of the heart during either open chest surgery or via a minimally invasive procedure. The biopolymers are engineered to achieve clinical benefit by locally modifying cardiac physiology.  CARDIO's products are classified by the FDA as devices and have a clear regulatory pathway and clinical end points.

The Company has two products in its late-stage development pipeline - Algisyl-LVR® for the treatment to prevent or reverse the progression of chronic heart failure (CHF) and mitral valve regurgitation (MR), conditions affecting well over 5 million Americans. CARDIO's approach involves implanting a space-occupying biocompatible polymer into strategic areas of the heart’s left ventricle (LV) wall to affect LV shape and prevent or reverse LV enlargement. Reshaping and thickening the LV wall reduces wall stress, reduces mitral valve regurgitation and provides lasting improvement of cardiac function with an associated improvement in the patient’s clinical status and quality of life. Algisyl-LVR has advanced to human clinical studies with a first-in-man study initiated in February 2009.    Plexisyl-AF® a prophylactic method of preventing sustained post-operative atrial fibrillation (POAF), a common side effect of the approximate 1 million coronary bypass and cardiac valve replacement surgeries performed each year. Plexisyl has advanced to human clinical stage testing. A 32 patient safety study was completed in Europe in May 2008.

CARDIO's capital-efficient approach toward product development has allowed the Company to advance its development programs to the clinical testing stage with relatively modest venture financing. CARDIO's scientific advisors are directly involved in technology development and the majority of our research is conducted in the University setting and at commercial laboratories. Near term, the Company’s goals are to establish the safety and efficacy of its novel biotherapeutic products. With solid evidence of efficacy Cardio Polymers believes it will be able to secure strategic distribution alliances and/or licensing partnerships to maximize the value of its unique technologies.