Leonhardt Ventures LLC has announced the development of E-Stent™, a wireless bioelectric protein-expression stent platform designed to activate or inhibit specific regenerative proteins directly from vessel walls and surrounding tissues. The technology combines a next-generation implant with a wireless wearable harness that delivers controlled protein expressions to micro-coils embedded along the stent, with sizes ranging from micro-implants smaller than a pea to 28 mm aortic stents. According to Brian Lasater, CTO of Leonhardt Ventures LLC and Lionheart Health, Inc., working prototypes are currently in testing that can control regenerative and healing protein expressions on demand through wireless energy. The platform represents an evolution of the company's previously announced KlothoImplant Bioelectric MicroImplant technology, expanding similar capabilities into advanced vascular implant formats.
The company has granted exclusive licenses for the E-Stent™ platform across 29 specialized medical applications. These include KidneyCell™ for kidney regeneration, CerebraCell™ for brain health and stroke recovery, AddictiStim™ for addiction treatment, and MemoryStim™ for memory improvement and Alzheimer's treatment. Other licensed applications include DepressiStim™ for severe depression, CancerCell™ for cancer treatment, and Lionheart Health for healthspan longevity. The technology platform can stimulate or inhibit a broad range of proteins including klotho, sestrins, sirtuins, apelin, LIM, CXCL5, tropoelastin, COL17A1, SDF1, PDGF, NANOG, RANK-L, BMP9, OPG, VEGF, S100a, HIF1a, BDNF, Sonic Hedgehog, TGFb, and FABp4 downregulation.
These stimulations can direct stem cell homing, proliferation, and differentiation on demand, potentially improving circulation, restoring muscle strength, modulating inflammation and blood pressure, improving nerve connections, and restoring elasticity. Additional licensed applications include Vascustim™ for peripheral artery disease, AortaCell™ for aortic aneurysm treatment, SpineStim™ for spinal cord injury recovery, and BioPace™ for biological pacemaker regeneration. The platform also addresses orthopedic applications through OrthoStim™ and dental applications via DentaCell™. Lionheart Health, majority owned by Leonhardt Ventures LLC, was recently recognized by Medtech Outlook Magazine as Micro Implant Stimulator Development of the Year 2025.
The company was also recognized as Abbvie Allergan ULP Innovation of the Year in Medical Aesthetics and as a top 40 semi-finalist in the $101 Million Xprize Healthspan competition. All products remain in clinical studies and are not yet proven to be safe or effective. The development of this platform matters because it represents a convergence of wireless technology, bioelectric medicine, and regenerative protein therapy that could potentially transform treatment approaches for numerous chronic and degenerative conditions. By enabling precise control over protein expressions directly at the site of implantation, the technology offers a targeted approach to tissue regeneration and healing that could reduce systemic side effects associated with traditional pharmaceutical interventions.
The implications of this announcement extend across multiple medical specialties, suggesting a future where implantable devices could actively participate in the body's healing processes rather than merely providing structural support. The platform's ability to address conditions ranging from cardiovascular disease to neurological disorders through a common technological approach could streamline development and potentially accelerate regulatory pathways for similar bioelectric therapies. However, the technology's broad claims across 29 medical applications raise questions about validation requirements and the practical challenges of demonstrating efficacy across such diverse conditions. The recognition from industry publications and competitions indicates growing interest in bioelectric approaches to regeneration, though the clinical studies will ultimately determine whether this technology delivers on its ambitious potential.
