Leading Heart Transplant Centers Convene in Houston for Picard Medical/ SynCardia's Total Artificial Heart Surgical Training
- Invitation-only program at Houston Methodist, one of the top heart transplant centers in the U.S., highlights the growing need for SynCardia Total Artificial Heart technology.
- Training initiative at Houston Methodist is expected to enable expanded adoption of the SynCardia Total Artificial Heart through further education.
TUCSON, Ariz., Feb. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Picard Medical, Inc. (NYSE:PMI) ("Picard" or the "Company"), parent company of SynCardia Systems LLC, maker of the world's first total artificial heart approved by both the U.S. FDA and Health Canada, today announced that it will host an exclusive, invitation-only "SynCardia Total Artificial Heart Training Village" at Houston Methodist Hospital on Tuesday, February 24th, 2026.
The "Training Village" will bring together leading cardiac surgeons and multidisciplinary clinical teams from Houston Methodist Hospital, Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center, Memorial Hermann Texas Medical Center, and Texas Children's Hospital for an advanced program focused on implantation techniques, patient selection, and clinical best practices for the SynCardia Total Artificial Heart.
The program will be led by Andre Simon, M.D., Vice President of Clinical Affairs at SynCardia, together with the SynCardia clinical team. Dr. Simon is an internationally recognized cardiac surgeon with extensive experience in mechanical circulatory support and total artificial heart implantation. The curriculum will combine focused classroom instruction with hands on surgical training to reinforce procedural consistency, clinical confidence, and optimal patient outcomes.
Andre Simon, M.D., commented, "Hands on, peer-to-peer surgical education is essential as total artificial heart therapy expands. Bringing experienced teams together in a focused setting strengthens best practices and ultimately improves care for patients facing advanced heart failure."
Participants will also engage in collaborative discussions on surgical strategy, perioperative management, and long-term support, fostering knowledge sharing across Houston's leading heart centers and reinforcing a shared commitment to advancing care for patients with end stage biventricular heart failure.
Patrick NJ Schnegelsberg, Chief Executive Officer of Picard Medical, added, "This initiative is part of our broader strategy to develop centers of excellence across key regions in the United States. By strengthening clinical capabilities and collaboration, we aim to expand patient access to total artificial heart therapy and support the continued growth of advanced heart failure programs."
The Houston program reflects the Company's ongoing commitment to clinical education, with additional training initiatives planned in key markets across the United States. The Houston region represents one of the largest advanced heart failure markets in the country, and expanding collaboration among high-volume transplant and mechanical circulatory support programs supports broader regional adoption of total artificial heart therapy. This approach aligns with Picard's strategy to increase implant volumes and expand access at leading heart centers nationwide.
About Houston Methodist Hospital
Houston Methodist Hospital, located in the Texas Medical Center, is a nationally recognized academic medical center known for excellence in cardiovascular care, transplantation, and advanced surgical innovation.
About Participating Houston Heart Centers
Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center, Memorial Hermann Texas Medical Center, and Texas Children's Hospital are leading institutions within the Texas Medical Center, nationally recognized for cardiovascular medicine, transplantation, mechanical circulatory support, and complex heart care across adult and pediatric populations.
About Picard Medical and SynCardia
Picard Medical, Inc. is the parent company of 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. SynCardia develops, manufactures, and commercializes the SynCardia Total Artificial Heart ("STAH"), an implantable system that assumes the full functions of a failing or failed human heart. It is the first artificial heart approved by both the FDA and Health Canada, and it remains the only commercially available artificial heart in the United States and Canada. With more than 2,100 implants performed at hospitals across 27 countries, the SynCardia Total Artificial Heart is the most widely used and extensively studied artificial heart in the world.
For additional information about Picard Medical, please visit www.picardmedical.com or review the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov.
Contact:
Investors
Eric Ribner
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LifeSci Advisors LLC
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Picard Medical, Inc./SynCardia Systems, LLC
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General/Media
Brittany Lanza
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