Background

A global cardiovascular medical device manufacturer specializing in surgical heart valves was assessing growth opportunities for its stented bovine pericardial valve portfolio in the United States. While the company had an established presence in select international markets, the U.S. posed unique challenges related to surgeon preferences, hospital purchasing dynamics, clinical differentiation, and competition from both legacy valve manufacturers and emerging transcatheter alternatives.

The client required real-world clinical and commercial insights to better understand current adoption trends, competitive positioning, pricing and reimbursement considerations, and future demand for stented tissue valves across key U.S. cardiac centers.

Solution

Infor Connect conducted 5 targeted expert consultations with senior professionals actively involved in the U.S. structural heart and cardiac surgery ecosystem, including:

Practicing cardiac surgeon at a high-volume U.S. hospital with extensive experience in surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR)

• Former medical director at a leading heart valve manufacturer

• Hospital value analysis committee (VAC) member involved in cardiovascular device procurement

• Clinical specialist supporting surgical valve implantation and post-market surveillance

• Healthcare reimbursement expert with experience in Medicare and DRG-based cardiac procedures

All consultations were delivered within a tight timeline to support the client’s strategic planning cycle.

Impact

• Clinical & Market Insights: Experts provided nuanced perspectives on current and evolving preferences for stented bovine pericardial valves versus mechanical valves and TAVR alternatives. Insights covered durability expectations, hemodynamic performance considerations, ease of implantation, and patient selection criteria across age groups.

• Competitive Positioning: The consultations highlighted key differentiators driving surgeon loyalty, including long-term clinical data, ease of sizing, valve handling characteristics, and post-implant outcomes. The client gained clarity on how established competitors defend market share and where unmet needs still exist.

• Commercial & Access Strategy: Discussions with procurement and reimbursement experts clarified hospital purchasing behavior, pricing pressures, and the role of GPOs and VACs in adoption decisions. The client used these inputs to refine its value proposition and U.S. commercialization strategy.

• Strategic Direction: By integrating expert feedback, the client was able to validate demand outlook for stented tissue valves in the U.S. surgical segment, identify priority customer profiles, and align product positioning with clinical and economic decision drivers—supporting a more informed and lower-risk market expansion plan.