SynCardia Systems, LLC is a medical technology company focused on addressing the most severe and underserved form of heart failure, when both sides of the heart fail, and patients have no other treatment options. The company is working to provide life-saving solutions for patients facing end-stage biventricular heart failure.
The SynCardia team in Tucson, Arizona is saving lives one heart at a time.
AZBio Marketing Intern, Ava Woods interviewed the team at SynCardia Systems, LLC (“SynCardia”), the Tucson, Arizona–based leader with the only commercially available total artificial heart technology for patients with end-stage heart failure. Picard Medical, Inc. (NYSE: PMI) is the parent company of SynCardia Systems, LLC.
Question: What is the Health Challenge SynCardia Is Addressing?
“Our goal is clear. We want to ensure that no patient dies waiting for a heart.”- Patrick NJ Schnegelsberg, Chief Executive Officer, SynCardia Systems, LLC
At SynCardia, we are focused on the most severe and underserved form of heart failure, when both sides of the heart fail and patients have no other treatment options. For these individuals, a heart transplant is often the only path forward, yet the number of donor hearts has not kept pace with the growing and urgent need. Our mission is both simple and critical. We aim to provide a durable, life-saving bridge to transplant today while advancing fully implantable artificial heart technologies that can ultimately become a long-term solution.
Advanced-stage heart failure is a growing global crisis. As populations age and survival from earlier cardiac disease improves, more patients progress to end-stage biventricular heart failure. When both ventricles fail, conventional therapies are no longer effective, and without intervention, survival can be measured in days or weeks. For physicians and healthcare systems, these patients are among the most complex and resource-intensive, often requiring prolonged ICU care and advanced support. Expanding access to reliable mechanical circulatory support systems such as the SynCardia Total Artificial Heart is not only lifesaving for patients but also essential to improving outcomes and ensuring the long-term sustainability of modern cardiovascular care.
Question: How is SynCardia Making an Impact?
SynCardia’s Total Artificial Heart is the only FDA-approved and commercially available system designed to replace both ventricles of the heart. More than 2,100 patients worldwide have received our technology, many of whom have been supported for extended periods while waiting for a transplant. Every day, we see the human impact. Our system restores circulation throughout the body, supports organ recovery, and gives patients something incredibly important: time. Time to stabilize. Time to be with their families. Time to reach transplant. For me, this is not just about innovation. It is about dignity, hope, and giving patients a second chance. At the same time, we are advancing next-generation fully implantable artificial heart platforms designed to improve further quality of life, mobility, and long-term outcomes.
Powered by Arizona’s Bioscience Ecosystem:
“Dedicated to giving end-stage heart failure patients the priceless gift of more time. More time with family and friends, more time outside the hospital enjoying life, and more time to receive a heart transplant.”
Arizona has played an important role in our journey and has provided a strong foundation for innovation and clinical collaboration. The state offers strong clinical expertise, academic partnerships, and a growing medical device and bioscience ecosystem, which have helped accelerate product development and clinical adoption. We also see a meaningful opportunity to further strengthen the region’s leadership in advanced medical technology through continued investment in infrastructure, workforce development, and industry partnerships. At SynCardia and Picard Medical, we are committed to being part of that growth as we advance next-generation artificial heart technologies, expand globally, and continue investing in talent, research, and manufacturing. Importantly, this progress would not have been possible without the leadership of AZBio and its role in connecting innovators, supporting companies, and elevating the bioscience community.
Looking Ahead:
We are entering a transformative period. We are developing the Emperor, a fully implantable electromechanical total artificial heart designed to allow patients to live with even greater mobility and independence. Our goal is to move beyond bridging to transplant and toward long-term therapy that can fundamentally change the treatment of advanced heart failure and can one day be an alternative to heart transplantation. What excites me most is the opportunity to not only improve care but to redefine what is possible for patients and extend lives around the world.
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About the Author
Ava Woods
Ava Woods is the Marketing & Communications Intern at AZBio, supporting digital communications, content creation, and member engagement initiatives. In her role, Ava assists with social media management, marketing campaigns, event promotion, and storytelling efforts that highlight Arizona’s growing bioscience community.
About AZBio Member Spotlights
AZBio Member Spotlights are just one of the ways AZBio is building awareness of the health innovations being developed and delivered across the state of Arizona. Telling Arizona’s Bioscience Story is a key goal of Arizona’s Bioscience Roadmap, the nation’s longest-running statewide strategic plan designed to build a robust bioscience sector.