The AstraZeneca HealthCare Foundation’s Connections for Cardiovascular HealthSM program today announced a grant of $197,634 to Saint Agnes Hospital Foundation to support its Heart-to-Heart initiative. This is the second consecutive year in which the Saint Agnes Hospital Foundation has received a grant from the AstraZeneca HealthCare Foundation, totaling $442,089.

The AstraZeneca HealthCare Foundation’s Connections for Cardiovascular HealthSM program today announced a grant of $213,094 to Christiana Care Health System to support its No Heart Left Behind program. This is the third consecutive year in which Christiana Care has received a grant from the AstraZeneca HealthCare Foundation, totaling $561,557.

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation (NYSE: EW), the global leader in the science of heart valves and hemodynamic monitoring, today announced it has received CE Mark in Europe for valve-in-valve procedures using the SAPIEN XT transcatheter heart valve, providing a minimally invasive treatment option for patients whose surgical mitral or aortic valves require replacement, and who are at extreme risk for surgery. Edwards is the only company to receive a valve-in-valve indication for the mitral position, which addresses an unmet need within the clinical community to provide an alternative to a high-risk surgery.

Neovasc Inc. (TSXV: NVC) today announced that a first-in-human implantation of its Tiara™ transcatheter mitral valve was successfully performed on January 30th  by physicians at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, BC. The transapical procedure resulted in the elimination of mitral regurgitation (MR) and significantly improved heart function in the patient, without the need for cardiac bypass support and with no procedural complications.

The American Medical Group Association announced today that the Baptist Memorial Health Care Foundation has awarded a grant to the Measure Up/Pressure Down(TM) campaign to help improve the rates of high blood pressure control among patients in the health system's region.

St. Jude Medical, Inc. (NYSE:STJ), a global medical device company, has received European CE Mark approval for its 25 mm Portico™ Transcatheter Aortic Heart Valve Implantation System. The approval expands the number of patients who can be treated using the Portico heart valve during transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedures. TAVR is an option for patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis (a narrowing of the aortic heart valve that obstructs blood flow from the heart). These patients are considered high-risk for conventional open-heart valve replacement surgery.

Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) today announced that the Phase 3 RUTHERFORD-2 (RedUction of LDL-C with PCSK9 InhibiTion in HEteRozygous Familial HyperchOlesteRolemia Disorder Study-2) trial evaluating evolocumab in combination with statins and other lipid-lowering therapies in patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) met its co-primary endpoints: the percent reduction from baseline in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) at week 12 and the mean percent reduction from baseline in LDL-C at weeks 10 and 12.

Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) today announced that the Phase 3 LAPLACE-2 (LDL-C Assessment with PCSK9 MonoclonaL Antibody Inhibition Combined with Statin ThErapy-2) trial evaluating evolocumab in combination with statin therapy in patients with high cholesterol met its co-primary endpoints: the percent reduction from baseline in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) at week 12 and the mean percent reduction from baseline in LDL-C at weeks 10 and 12. The mean percent reductions in LDL-C, or "bad" cholesterol, were consistent with the published results observed for the same doses in the Phase 2 LAPLACE-TIMI 57 (LAPLACE-Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction-57) trial for evolocumab compared to placebo; and in the Phase 2 MENDEL (Monoclonal Antibody Against PCSK9 to Reduce Elevated LDL-C in Patients Currently Not Receiving Drug Therapy For Easing Lipid Levels) study for evolocumab compared to ezetimibe.