Early Feasibility EXperience of Posterior Leaflet RestOration to REduce Mitral Regurgitation (EXPLORE MR)
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04098328 |
Recruitment Status :
Recruiting
First Posted : September 23, 2019
Last Update Posted : February 2, 2022
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Condition or disease |
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Mitral Regurgitation Mitral Valve Disease Mitral Valve Insufficiency |
Study Type : | Observational [Patient Registry] |
Estimated Enrollment : | 12 participants |
Observational Model: | Cohort |
Time Perspective: | Prospective |
Target Follow-Up Duration: | 5 Years |
Official Title: | Early Feasibility EXperience of Posterior Leaflet RestOration to REduce Mitral Regurgitation (EXPLORE MR) |
Actual Study Start Date : | January 1, 2020 |
Estimated Primary Completion Date : | December 2022 |
Estimated Study Completion Date : | October 2026 |
- Primary safety endpoint [ Time Frame: 30 days ]All-cause mortality
- Improvement from baseline mitral regurgitation [ Time Frame: 30 days ]Grade 2+ or less as evaluated by 2D transthoracic echocardiography
- Technical success according to MVARC2 criteria [ Time Frame: 24 hours ]
- Absence of procedure mortality
- Successful access, delivery and retrieval of investigation delivery system
- Successful deployment and correct positioning of intended implant(s)
- Freedom from emergency surgery/re-intervention related to device or access procedure
- Procedure success according to MVARC2 criteria [ Time Frame: 30 days ]
- Absence of procedure mortality or stroke
- Proper placement and positioning of device
- Freedom from unplanned re-intervention related to device or access procedure
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Continued intended safety and performance of the device:
- No evidence of structural or functional failure
- No device technical failure issues/complications
- MR reduction to moderate or less without stenosis
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Absence of major device or procedure-related SAE:
- Death
- Stroke
- Life-threatening bleed
- Major vascular complication
- Major cardiac structural complication
- No device technical failure issues/complications
- Stage 2 or 3 AKI
- MI or coronary ischemia requiring PCI or CABG
- Shock, heart or respiratory failure requiring IV vasopressors, mechanical intervention or prolonged intubation
- Valve-related dysfunction, migration, thrombosis, or other complication requiring surgery or repeat intervention
- Device success according to MVARC2 criteria [ Time Frame: 30 days, 6 and 12 months, and 2 - 5 years post treatment ]
- Absence of procedure mortality or stroke
- Proper placement and positioning of device
- Freedom from unplanned re-intervention related to device or access procedure
-
Continued intended safety and performance of the device:
- No evidence of structural or functional failure
- No device technical failure issues/complications
- MR reduction to moderate or less without stenosis
- Patient success according to MVARC2 criteria [ Time Frame: 30 days, 6 and 12 months, and 2 - 5 years post treatment ]
- Device success
- Patient returned to pre-procedure setting
- No rehospitalization or reintervention for mitral regurgitation or heart failure
- Functional improvement from baseline by one or more NYHA class
- 6MWT improvement from baseline by 50 metres or more
- Rate (%) of major adverse events as defined by MVARC2 criteria [ Time Frame: Procedure, discharge/7 days, 30 days, 6 and 12 months, and 2 - 5 years post treatment ]All-cause mortality, hospitalization due to cardiac conditions, stroke or TIA, myocardial infarction, access site and vascular complications, bleeding complications, acute kidney injury up to 7 days post-procedure, and arrhythmias and conduction system disturbances

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Sampling Method: | Non-Probability Sample |
Inclusion Criteria:
- 18 years of age or older.
- Greater than moderate degenerative or functional mitral regurgitation (Grade 3+ or higher) as confirmed by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) within 90 days prior to study procedure
- Patient must present with an STS Score less than 10%
- High surgical risk for conventional mitral repair or replacement due to morphological criteria (e.g. leaflet or annulus calcifications) as assessed by the local heart team comprised of a cardiac surgeon experienced in mitral valve surgery and a cardiologist experienced in treating mitral valve disease and heart failure
- Mitral valve anatomy deemed unsuitable to be treated with an approved edge-to-edge repair system (e.g., retracted posterior leaflet, lack of leaflet tissue, calcified or cleft posterior leaflet) as assessed by the local heart team comprised of a cardiac surgeon experienced in mitral valve surgery and a cardiologist experienced in treating mitral valve disease and heart failure
- Patient is approved by an independent Patient Eligibility Committee
- New York Heart Association (NYHA) Functional Class III or IV
- Patient willing to participate in study and provide signed EC-approved informed consent.
- Treating physician and patient agree that patient is able to return for all required post- procedure follow-up visits
- Women of child-bearing potential have a negative pregnancy test
Exclusion Criteria:
- Severe tricuspid regurgitation
- Severe aortic stenosis or insufficiency
- Severe mitral annulus calcification
- Diseased mitral anterior leaflet such as flail / prolapse/ heavy calcification
- Implanted vena cava filter
- Femoral veins with severe angulation and calcification
- Contraindication for transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) or MDCT scan.
- Active infection or endocarditis
- Previous mitral valve surgery
- Prior orthotopic heart transplantation
- Pulmonary artery systolic hypertension > 70mmHg
- Evidence of intra-cardiac, inferior vena cava (IVC) or femoral venous thrombus
- Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) < 30%
- Implant or revision of any pacing device < 30 days prior to intervention
- Symptomatic coronary artery disease treated < 30 days prior to study procedure
- Myocardial infarction requiring intervention < 30 days prior to study procedure
- Infiltrative cardiomyopathies (e.g., amyloidosis, hemochromatosis, sarcoidosis), hypertrophic or restrictive cardiomyopathies, and constrictive pericarditis
- Active peptic ulcer or upper gastrointestinal bleeding < 90 days prior to study procedure
- Stroke < 180 days prior to study procedure
- Severe renal insufficiency (creatinine > 3.0 mg/dL) or patient requiring dialysis
- Cardiogenic shock at time of enrolment
- Hemodynamic instability requiring inotropic support or mechanical heart assistance
- Concurrent medical condition with a life expectancy of less than 2 years
- Pregnancy at time of enrolment
- History of bleeding diathesis or coagulopathy or leukopenia (WBC < 3,000 mcL) or acute anemia (Hb < 9 g/dL) or thrombocytopenia (platelets < 50,000 cells mcL)
- Known hypersensitivity or contraindication to aspirin, heparin, ticlopidine or clopidogrel, nitinol, tantalum or allergy to contrast agents that cannot be pre-medicated
- Severe dementia or lack of capacity due to conditions that result in either inability to provide informed consent for the trial/procedure, prevent independent lifestyle outside of a chronic care facility, or will fundamentally complicate rehabilitation from the procedure or compliance with follow-up assessments
- Emergency situations
- Company employees or their immediate family members
- Patient is under guardianship
- Patient is participating in another clinical study for which follow-up is currently ongoing

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT04098328
Contact: Laura A Brenton | +1 313 919 8044 | lbrenton@polaresmedical.com |
Germany | |
St. Johannes Hospital | Recruiting |
Dortmund, Germany | |
Principal Investigator: Helge Moellmann, MD | |
Switzerland | |
Inselspital Bern | Recruiting |
Bern, Switzerland, 3010 | |
Contact: Fabien Praz, MD | |
Luzerner Kantonsspital | Recruiting |
Luzern, Switzerland | |
Principal Investigator: Stefan Toggweiler, MD |
Study Director: | Laura A Brenton | Polares Medical | |
Principal Investigator: | Ulrich Schaefer, MD | MarienKrankenhaus & Asklepios Klinik St. Georg, Hamburg (DE) | |
Principal Investigator: | Stephan Windecker, MD | Inselspital Bern, Bern (CH) |
Responsible Party: | Polares Medical SA |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT04098328 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
201901 |
First Posted: | September 23, 2019 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | February 2, 2022 |
Last Verified: | February 2022 |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product: | No |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product: | No |
Mitral Valve Insufficiency Heart Valve Diseases Heart Diseases Cardiovascular Diseases |