An interventional study of Implantation of the V-Wave Interatrial shunt and Sham (no implant) in Heart Failure and Reduced Ejection Fraction, Heart Failure Chronic and Heart Failure New York Heart Association Class III, sponsored by V-Wave Ltd. Not yet recruiting. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-11-06.
Sponsored by V-Wave Ltd (part of Johnson & Johnson) · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
This study will evaluate the V-Wave Ventura Interatrial shunt. The Shunt is a small, hourglass-shaped device implanted in the dividing wall (septum) between the right and left atria (top chambers) of the heart placed during a minimally invasive cardiac catheterization procedure. The hourglass shape of the device holds the Shunt in place. The small opening in the center allows a small amount of blood to flow (to be shunted) from the top left chamber to the top right chamber of the heart. By "shunting" this small amount of blood, the increased pressure in the left side of the heart is reduced, which is expected to reduce congestion in the lungs and improve your symptoms of heart failure.
A previous study, the REducing Lung congestIon symptoms using the v-wavE shunt in adVancEd Heart Failure (RELIEVE-HF) trial showed that implantation of an interatrial shunt device was safe. In that study, patients whose heart pumping function (left ventricular ejection fraction, or LVEF) was >40% did not have better HF outcomes, such as hospitalization or even death after getting the device. However, the study looked separately at the LVEF ≤40% group and found that patients with an LVEF ≤40% showed improvements in these HF outcomes, as well as fewer episodes of worsening HF requiring an artificial heart pump. This suggests the shunt may help people whose heart pump is reduced, but more information is needed. The purpose of this study is to add to the data on the safety and whether the shunt works in preventing worsening heart failure for patients with reduced pumping strength or LVEF ≤40% .
This study is a multi-center, randomized, patient and observer blinded trial, with three (3) patients randomized to received the shunt (Treatment arm) for every two (2) non-implant Placebo-Procedure (Control patients). A total of approximately 250 patients will be randomized. Patients and research staff managing patients after randomization will be blinded during follow-up for a minimum of 12 months to a maximum of 24 months. All patients (Randomized to Treatment and Control) will be followed for a total of 3 years from the time of the randomization for comparison. Follow-up visits will be performed for the study will be conducted in clinic with the research doctors and staff and will include some telephone/remote visits. Patients randomized to the Control group who still meet inclusion/without exclusion criteria and consent will have an opportunity to receive the shunt if the effectiveness endpoint is met at primary study results.
The Study Device, the V-Wave Interatrial Shunt System, includes a permanent implant-the Shunt, placed during a minimally invasive cardiac catheterization procedure using its dedicated Delivery Catheter. By transferring blood from the left to the right atrium, the Shunt is intended to reduce excessive left-sided cardiac filling pressures in patients with advanced Heart Failure with reduced Ejection Fraction (HFrEF). The anticipated outcome is a reduction in heart failure events (all-cause mortality, cardiac transplantation or LVAD implantation (HT/LV), and all heart failure hospitalizations).
The study is a prospective, multi-center, 3:2 randomized, patient and observer blinded trial, with three (3) patients randomized to the Shunt Treatment arm for every two (2) non-implant Placebo-Procedure Control patients. The primary analysis will be performed when the last enrolled patient has been followed for a minimum of 12 months from randomization. The duration of follow-up evaluated by the primary effectiveness endpoint will range from a minimum of 12 to a maximum of 24 months. All patients (Randomized to Treatment and Control) will be followed for a total of 3 years from the time of the randomization. Patients randomized to the Control group who still meet inclusion/without exclusion criteria will have an opportunity to crossover and receive the shunt if the primary effectiveness endpoint is met at primary study analysis.
The REducing Lung congestIon symptoms using the v-wavE shunt in adVancEd Heart Failure (RELIEVE-HF) trial demonstrated that transcatheter implantation of an interatrial shunt device was safe but did not improve outcomes in HF patients across the full range of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). However, results from a prespecified exploratory analysis in stratified randomized LVEF subgroups (LVEF ≤40% versus >40%) suggests that shunt implantation was beneficial in patients with reduced LVEF ≤40%. The RELIEVE- HFrEF trial is designed to provide additional data supporting this finding from the RELIEVE-HF trial.
230 studies on the registry are indexed under Heart Failure, Systolic; 51 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 250 is above the median of 60 across 165 interventional studies indexed under Heart Failure, Systolic.
Browse Heart Failure, Systolic studies →V-Wave Ltd is the lead sponsor of 5 studies on the registry; 1 is open to participants now.
First submitted after V-Wave Ltd became part of Johnson & Johnson.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Inclusion Criteria:
Receiving guideline directed medical therapy (GDMT) for heart failure which refers to those HF drugs carrying a Class I indication:
Must meet 5a OR 5b.
Main Exclusion Criteria:
Treatment with IV vasoactive medications (e.g., IV inotropes, IV vasodilators) within the last 30 days.
Treated with a ventricular assist device (VAD). Listed for cardiac transplantation.
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
The share of blood the heart’s main pumping chamber (the left ventricle) pushes out with each beat, measured by an echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) or a MUGA scan. About 50–70% is normal.
The New York Heart Association’s four classes of how much heart failure limits physical activity.
Studies set their own limit — many outside heart failure leave out class III–IV, while heart failure studies may ask for a particular class. Check the class this study names.
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
A “mini-stroke”: temporary stroke-like symptoms caused by reduced blood flow to part of the brain, spinal cord or eye, without signs of a new stroke on a scan.
Stroke symptoms need emergency care at once, even if they go away.
The study doctor’s estimate of how long someone is likely to live. Criteria use it so that people can stay in the study long enough for it to answer its question.
LVEF (left ventricular ejection fraction)
The share of blood the heart’s main pumping chamber (the left ventricle) pushes out with each beat, measured by an echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) or a MUGA scan. About 50–70% is normal.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
NYHA class (heart failure)
The New York Heart Association’s four classes of how much heart failure limits physical activity.
Studies set their own limit — many outside heart failure leave out class III–IV, while heart failure studies may ask for a particular class. Check the class this study names.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
BMI (body mass index)
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
TIA (transient ischaemic attack)
A “mini-stroke”: temporary stroke-like symptoms caused by reduced blood flow to part of the brain, spinal cord or eye, without signs of a new stroke on a scan.
Stroke symptoms need emergency care at once, even if they go away.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Life expectancy
The study doctor’s estimate of how long someone is likely to live. Criteria use it so that people can stay in the study long enough for it to answer its question.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Treatment arm patients will undergo a diagnostic right heart catheterization and invasive echocardiography to determine study eligibility followed by a transseptal catheterization and V-Wave Ventura interatrial shunt implantation and continue taking guideline recommended medical therapy .
Device: Implantation of the V-Wave Interatrial shunt
Control arm patients will undergo a diagnostic right heart catheterization and invasive echocardiography to determine study eligibility, but will not have a transseptal catheterization and V-Wave Ventura interatrial shunt implantation and will continue guideline recommended medical therapy.
Device: Sham (no implant)
Implantation of the Ventura Shunt should be performed only by physicians experienced in transseptal cardiac catheterization procedures and trained in the proper use of the Shunt and Delivery System. Perform a standard right heart catheterization and (TEE) or (ICE) echo imaging to assess adequacy of vascular access, cardiovascular anatomy and to rule out potential contraindications. Perform a transseptal puncture, attempting to cross near the center of the fossa ovalis or where anatomy is most suitable. Advance the Delivery System and verify the tip is in the mid left atrium. Deploy the left portion of the Shunt which will be visible on echo or fluoroscopy. Slowly retract the Introducer and the Delivery System as a unit, until the left atrial cone of the Shunt contacts the left side of the fossa ovalis. Release the shunt from the delivery system, and retract until the Shunt is deployed across the fossa ovalis. Shunt placement is verified by fluoroscopic and echo observations.
Also known as: V-Wave Ventura interatrial shunt, V-Wave shunt, Interatrial shunt implant, transseptal shunt
Study procedures should be performed only by physicians experienced in the RELIEVE-HFrEF study protocol and manual of operations. Perform a standard right heart catheterization and transesophogeal (TEE) or intracardiac (ICE) echo imaging to assess adequacy of vascular access, cardiovascular anatomy and to rule out potential contraindications. If eligible and randomized to control, the transseptal and shunt implantation will not be performed but the Interventionalist will simulate the procedure to maintain participant blinding.
Also known as: Sham Control, No implant
Primary Safety
The percentage of Treatment Group patients experiencing device-related Major Adverse Cardiovascular and Neurological Events (MACNE) during the first 30 days after randomization, compared to a pre-specified Performance Goal.
Time frame: From enrollment at the intervention procedure through 30 days.
Primary Effectiveness
A composite of time to all-cause mortality or Heart Transplantation/LVAD implantation (HT/LV) and recurrent heart failure hospitalizations. This endpoint will be evaluated utilizing a Bayesian joint frailty model with two components: 1) time to all- cause mortality or HT/LV; and 2) rate of recurrent heart failure hospitalization. A shared parameter for the risk ratio will quantify the treatment benefit of Treatment versus Control across both components. The primary analysis model will also incorporate Bayesian borrowing on the shared treatment effect from the corresponding subgroup in the RELIEVE-HF trial (≤40%). The prior information will be down weighted using Bayesian power prior methodology, and simulations will be used to calibrate the decision criteria and weighting of the prior information to be pre-specified in the Statistical Analysis Plan. This includes a comprehensive evaluation of statistical power and Type I error of the primary analysis with Bayesian borrowing.
Time frame: The Primary analysis will be conducted after the final enrolled participant completes the 12-month visit. Data for the primary analysis will be collected from a minimum of 12- months to a maximum of 24-months of follow-up.
Secondary Effectiveness
Heart failure hospitalizations adjusted for all-cause mortality and HT/LV by joint frailty
Time frame: Baseline to the time of primary (unblinded) follow-up. Follow-up duration at outcome analysis ranges from a minimum of 12 months to a maximum of 24 months.
Secondary Effectiveness
Primary endpoint inclusive of worsening HF treated as an outpatient (WHF)
Time frame: Baseline to the time of primary (unblinded) follow-up. Follow-up duration at outcome analysis ranges from a minimum of 12 months to a maximum of 24 months.
Secondary Effectiveness
Primary endpoint replacing HFH with All-cause hospitalization (non-elective)
Time frame: Baseline to the time of primary (unblinded) follow-up. Follow-up duration at outcome analysis ranges from a minimum of 12 months to a maximum of 24 months.
Secondary Effectiveness
Time to all-cause death or HT/LV
Time frame: Baseline to the time of primary (unblinded) follow-up. Follow-up duration at outcome analysis ranges from a minimum of 12 months to a maximum of 24 months.
Secondary Effectiveness
Change in NYHA Class
Time frame: Baseline to 12 months
Secondary Effectiveness
Change in NYHA Class
Time frame: Baseline to 24 months
No study locations are listed for this record.
Plan to share: Undecided — This decision balances participant privacy, ethical commitments in the consent process, legal/regulatory constraints, and the need to ensure scientific integrity. Aggregate results and study metadata will be made available; limited, controlled access to de-identified data may be provided under strict governance when appropriate.
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Nov 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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