Leading Heart Transplant Centers Convene in Houston for Picard Medical/ SynCardia’s Total Artificial Heart Surgical Training

Picard Medical (NYSE American: PMI) will host an invitation-only SynCardia Total Artificial Heart Training Village at Houston Methodist on February 24, 2026.

Rhea-AI Summary

Picard Medical (NYSE American: PMI) will host an invitation-only SynCardia Total Artificial Heart Training Village at Houston Methodist on February 24, 2026. The program gathers leading cardiac surgeons and multidisciplinary teams for hands-on surgical training, curriculum on patient selection, implantation techniques, and perioperative best practices.

The event is led by Andre Simon, M.D., vice president of clinical affairs, and aims to strengthen regional clinical capabilities and expand access to total artificial heart therapy across Houston and other U.S. markets.

Argus Feb 23 session

-7.14% close to close Open Argus

Details

News Market Reaction – PMI

On Feb 23, the day this news came out, PMI closed 7.14% below the previous close.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus for the Feb 23 session.

Key Figures

Announcement date: February 23, 2026 Training date: February 24, 2026

Announcement date

February 23, 2026

Press release date for Houston training initiative

Training date

February 24, 2026

Date of SynCardia Total Artificial Heart Training Village at Houston Methodist

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Feb 12

5 events

1. Feb 12

   Clinical milestone update

   24h Move

   -1.2%

   UCSF reports successful transplant after SynCardia Total Artificial Heart support.

2. Feb 10

   Conference presentation

   24h Move

   -2.9%

   Announcement of Emperor TAH data presentation at European MCS summit.

3. Jan 29

   Investor education webinar

   24h Move

   +0.0%

   Webinar on Emperor fully implantable TAH and preclinical performance data.

4. Jan 13

   Podcast launch

   24h Move

   +4.8%

   Cruxx of MedTech podcast series spotlighting SynCardia STAH and Emperor.

5. Jan 12

   Development collaboration

   24h Move

   -1.2%

   Hydrix collaboration to advance the Emperor next‑generation total artificial heart.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Key Terms

total artificial heart, mechanical circulatory support, perioperative management, biventricular heart failure

4 terms

total artificial heart medical

"growing need for SynCardia Total Artificial Heart technology."

A total artificial heart is a surgically implanted mechanical device that replaces the heart’s two main pumping chambers and takes over circulation, acting like a continuous pump that keeps blood moving through the body. Investors care because it is a high-cost, high-stakes medical product whose commercial success depends on clinical trial results, regulatory approvals, hospital adoption, reimbursement rules and long-term patient outcomes — factors that drive revenue potential and risk.

mechanical circulatory support medical

"experience in mechanical circulatory support and total artificial heart implantation."

Mechanical circulatory support are medical devices that help or take over the heart’s job of moving blood around the body, ranging from temporary external pumps to implanted pumps that assist one or both sides of the heart. For investors, these devices matter because their use drives sales, regulatory scrutiny, reimbursement decisions and long‑term healthcare costs; think of them as a backup engine for a failing heart whose adoption and outcomes influence a company’s market opportunity and risk profile.

perioperative management medical

"collaborative discussions on surgical strategy, perioperative management, and long-term support"

Perioperative management is the coordinated planning and care given before, during and after a surgical procedure, covering preparation, anesthesia and pain control, infection prevention, monitoring, and recovery support. For investors, it matters because effective perioperative practices shorten hospital stays, reduce complications and costs, and influence demand for surgical devices, drugs and software—similar to a pit crew that keeps a race car fast and safe, improving financial performance and lowering clinical risk.

biventricular heart failure medical

"patients with end stage biventricular heart failure."

Biventricular heart failure is a condition where both the right and left sides of the heart are weakened and cannot pump blood effectively, like a two-pump system losing power on both ends. It matters to investors because it increases demand for treatments, medical devices, hospital care and long-term therapies, can drive clinical-trial activity and regulatory decisions, and may affect costs and revenue for companies in cardiovascular drugs, devices and healthcare services.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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• 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 American: 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 24^th, 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
Managing Director
LifeSci Advisors LLC
eric@lifesciadvisors.com

Picard Medical, Inc./SynCardia Systems, LLC
IR@picardmedical.com

General/Media
Brittany Lanza
blanza@syncardia.com

FAQ

AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

What is the SynCardia Total Artificial Heart Training Village hosted by Picard Medical (PMI) on February 24, 2026?

It is an invitation-only hands-on surgical training program for total artificial heart implantation led by SynCardia clinical leaders. According to Picard Medical, the program combines classroom instruction and operative practice with peer-to-peer discussion to reinforce implantation techniques and patient selection.

Which hospitals and clinical teams will participate in the PMI training event in Houston on February 24, 2026?

Participants include teams from Houston Methodist, Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, Memorial Hermann Texas Medical Center, and Texas Children’s Hospital. According to Picard Medical, these high-volume transplant centers will collaborate on surgical strategy and perioperative management.

Who is leading the SynCardia training program at Houston Methodist and what is their role?

The program is led by Andre Simon, M.D., vice president of clinical affairs at SynCardia, an experienced cardiac surgeon. According to Picard Medical, Dr. Simon and the SynCardia clinical team will direct both didactic and hands-on surgical sessions.

What are the main objectives of Picard Medical’s PMI training village for SynCardia Total Artificial Heart?

The objectives are to standardize implantation techniques, improve clinical confidence, and expand patient access to total artificial heart therapy. According to Picard Medical, the initiative aims to develop regional centers of excellence and increase implant volumes at leading heart centers.

Will Picard Medical (PMI) hold additional SynCardia training initiatives beyond the February 24, 2026 Houston event?

Yes. Picard Medical plans further training initiatives in key U.S. markets to support broader adoption of the SynCardia Total Artificial Heart. According to Picard Medical, the Houston program is part of a broader strategy to expand clinical education and regional collaboration.