Objective
Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI) is a highly prevalent and debilitating vascular disorder affecting more than 200 million people worldwide. CVI develops when venous valves in the legs fail, leading to reflux, venous hypertension, blood pooling, pain, edema, skin changes, and, in severe cases, non-healing ulcers. Current treatments such as compression stockings, venoplasty, or bypass surgery alleviate symptoms but do not restore valve function, and despite decades of research there is still no approved prosthetic venous valve available. Existing approaches using permanent metallic frames or tissue-based constructs face major limitations, including thrombosis risk, chronic inflammation, infection, and eventual device failure.
We propose NeoVena, a first-in-class fully bioresorbable polymeric venous valve that provides immediate restoration of unidirectional blood flow while serving as a temporary regenerative scaffold. Building on the ERC-funded project TAVI4Life, which developed a bioresorbable stent platform with excellent elasticity and hemodynamic performance for heart valve applications, we adapted this technology to create the first NeoVena prototypes. Fabricated via precision 3D-printing, NeoVena integrates a bioresorbable stent with a polymeric valve leaflet scaffold. Over time, the synthetic components gradually degrade and are safely resorbed, leaving behind a functional, living, native-like venous valve. This regenerative approach avoids the long-term complications associated with permanent implants while directly addressing the root cause of CVI.
This ERC Proof of Concept project will establish the feasibility of NeoVena by refining its design, fabricating prototypes through scalable additive manufacturing, and validating their performance in vitro and in vivo. Ultimately, NeoVena aims to bridge the gap between fundamental biomaterials research and a clinically relevant solution for patients suffering from CVI.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2026-POC
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
8006 Zurich
Switzerland
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.