Aria CV rides for Team PH in Minnesota

September 09,2016

In 2009, John Scandurra, DVM and Karl Vollmers, PhD were introduced to the disease of pulmonary hypertension (PH) while working at the University of Minnesota. They learned that PH represents a tremendous unmet medical need and set about to develop a new solution. As members of a four-person team at the Medical Devices Center they developed a device based concept to treat PH. The following year, Drs. Scandurra and Vollmers founded Aria CV, Inc.

Aria’s device works in a manner that is different from current drug therapy. Instead of opening the small channels in the pulmonary artery, the device addresses the stiffening that occurs in pulmonary hypertension. Aria’s device is still under development, but testing suggests the device may reduce the workload on the heart while increasing blood flow through the lungs, leading to improved heart function and quality of life.

On Saturday, four of Aria’s employees will be riding in the Jesse James Getaway, a 100-mile, one-day bike ride in Northfield, Minnesota. John Gainor, VP of Research and Development, Lucas Harder, Senior Engineer, Karl Vollmers, Chief Scientific Officer, and John Scandurra, CEO, have been training for the ride which will be their first event as members of Team PHenominal Hope. And this ride is also personal, as the Aria CV cyclists will be riding for 4 children in Minnesota who live PH in the Team PHenomenal Hope #LetMeBeYourLungs campaign. Dr. Scandurra said, “we are excited for the ride and that our friends and associates have donated over $2,000 for PH research, but most of all we are thrilled to have the opportunity to work to improve the lives of those with pulmonary hypertension, especially Evelyn, 4, Evan 3, Evelyn, 9, and Jonas, 4.”

The athletes race with Team PH, and committed to fundraising to help build the PHenomenal Impact Fund, a research fund established by Team PHenomenal Hope to fund international grants to support PH research and improvements in care. As of today, the Aria CV team has already surpassed their initial fundraising goal of $1500. To contribute to their cause, please go to their Crowdrise page here. As Team PHenomenal Hope is a 501(c)3, all donations are tax-deductible.

Karl-Vollmers-from-Aria-C-V-sporting-Team-P-H-colors

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