The Memo: ChamberTech Tackling Persistent AFib with Hybrid Ablation Innovation

Under the direction of Founder and CEO Richard Chambers, ChamberTech is developing the first hybrid endocardial/epicardial pulsed-field ablation (PFA) system for patients with persistent and long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation (AFib). Leveraging novel catheter designs and PFA energy, the UK-based startup is addressing a critical gap in electrophysiology with a focus on efficacy, safety, and simplicity. Backed by a £1.5 million Biomedical Catalyst grant from Innovate UK, ChamberTech is preparing for its next phase of preclinical testing and aims to begin first-in-human studies in late 2026.

Origin Story

Richard Chambers has over 16 years of experience in the medtech industry, beginning his career with St. Jude Medical before joining Acutus Medical during its scale-up phase. He entered Acutus a year before the company achieved commercial marking, contributing to the launch and growth of its electroanatomical mapping system, designed specifically for atrial fibrillation (AFib) diagnostics. In this role, he supported hundreds of catheter ablation procedures, with a particular focus on addressing the low success rates historically seen in persistent AF (PersAF).

“I spent eight years immersed in the persistent AFib space,” said Chambers. “Even after more than 30 years of catheter ablation development, these patients still face only about a 50% success rate. Most end up returning for a second or even third ablation, each time with the same 50/50 odds.”

When Acutus exited the mapping and ablation business in late 2023, Chambers used the opportunity to bring a side project to life. “Establishing a cure for PersAFib became a passion,” he said. “I applied for the Innovate UK Biomedical Catalyst grant and was thrilled to be awarded the funding to get the project going. We’re now 14 months into that grant cycle.”

Chambers set up shop at the London Institute for Healthcare Engineering, where ChamberTech is currently based.

The Current Landscape

Despite significant advances in single-shot pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) tools, Chambers believes persistent and long-standing persistent AFib patients remain underserved.

“There are loads of mapping systems out there, but nobody is really trying to deliver good single-shot linear lesions beyond the PVs,” he said. “We want to give electrophysiologists a better tool for linear lesion sets, and ultimately bring the benefits of hybrid ablation into one [Electrophysiology] procedure.”

That ambition aligns with where the market is headed. PFA is rapidly reshaping the treatment landscape for AFib. According to LSI’s latest data, the global PFA market reached $1.0 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow at an impressive CAGR of 32.2%, reaching $4.1 billion by 2029. 

While most PFA systems have initially focused on paroxysmal AFib and PVI, the next frontier includes broader indications: persistent, long-standing persistent, and complex AFib cases, which represent ~50% of the entire AFib market. ChamberTech is building for that future, with a differentiated system designed to expand the reach of PFA into more challenging patient populations.

Inside the Innovation

ChamberTech’s platform combines several novel elements: a shape-shifting, dual-access catheter that conforms to multiple ablation geometries, magnetics for catheter alignment, and a proprietary electrode design specifically optimized for PFA delivery.

“In more than 90% of the procedures I attended, the operator was trying to achieve a line of block, going point-by-point, much like spot-welding metal,” Chambers recalled. “We saw an opportunity to simplify that. Our dual-catheter system can first perform PVI, then reconfigure to deliver linear lesion sets in both atria, both inside and outside of the heart, simultaneously.”

The system uses PFA, which has become the energy modality of choice for its safety profile, but Chambers is careful to emphasize the importance of thoughtful design over power source alone.

“To me, PFA is secondary to the geometry of the device and the ability to deliver solid lesion sets. But it was a no-brainer to combine it with our device,” he said. “We haven’t just adapted a thermal catheter to deliver PFA; we’ve engineered a purpose-built PFA catheter that directly addresses safety risks, including the potential for blood trauma.”

The long-term goal is to replicate the efficacy of the original Cox-Maze procedure without its surgical complications. “That cut-and-sew approach worked remarkably well, but it’s not scalable,” said Chambers. “We’re trying to get as close as we can to those outcomes, with the safety profile of catheter ablation.”

Progress and Milestones

ChamberTech is currently 14 months into its Innovate UK-funded development program. The team has made rapid progress, beginning with extensive bench testing of the catheter and electrode design, including data presented at the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) meeting in San Diego. “All three abstracts were accepted, and the data was well-received,” said Chambers.

In May, the company conducted its first major preclinical study in a porcine model in the Czech Republic. The study evaluated the safety, usability, and efficacy of the endocardial catheter and was, in Chambers’ words, “highly successful.” A second study, focused on optimizing the epicardial component, is planned for late 2025.

Chambers and his team have also had two additional abstracts accepted for the upcoming Heart Rhythm Congress in the UK. The company is planning a third preclinical study for mid-2026, potentially including chronic endpoints and a full system evaluation with its proprietary generator.

Looking ahead, ChamberTech is preparing for a first-in-human by the end of 2026. 

Join Us at LSI Europe ‘25

Chambers has been selected to present at LSI Europe ’25 (September 7–11) in front of hundreds of global medical technology companies. Join us in welcoming him to the event in London, where he will share the latest updates on ChamberTech’s technology and development.