Edwards Lifesciences
Company History
Edwards Lifesciences History: Founding, Growth & Key Milestones
Founded 1958 in Santa Ana, California, USA
When was Edwards Lifesciences founded?
Edwards Lifesciences was founded in 1958 in Santa Ana, California, USA by Miles 'Lowell' Edwards and Dr. Albert Starr, making it 68 years old.
- Founded
- 1958
- Founding place
- Santa Ana, California, USA
- Founders
- Miles 'Lowell' Edwards and Dr. Albert Starr
- Headquarters today
- Irvine, California, USA
- Milestones documented
- 14 (1958–2025)
- Current CEO
- Bernard J. Zovighian
- Acquisitions
- 4
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1958 | Foundation by Lowell Edwards |
| 1960 | First Starr-Edwards Valve Implantation |
| 1985 | Acquisition by Baxter International |
| 2000 | Independent Spin-Off on NYSE |
| 2004 | Acquisition of PVT for TAVR Pioneer Status |
| 2007 | CE Mark Approval for SAPIEN Valve |
| 2011 | FDA Approval of SAPIEN in the US |
| 2014 | Launch of SAPIEN 3 |
| 2017 | Acquisition of Valtech Cardio |
| 2020 | PARTNER 3 Low-Risk Trial Landmark |
| 2021 | Launch of SAPIEN 3 Ultra RESILIA |
| 2023 | Bernard Zovighian Assumes CEO Role |
| 2024 | Divestiture of Critical Care Unit to BD |
| 2025 | EVOQUE Tricuspid Valve Market Expansion |
- Where was Edwards Lifesciences founded?
- Edwards Lifesciences was founded in Santa Ana, California, USA in 1958.
- Who founded Edwards Lifesciences?
- Edwards Lifesciences was founded by Miles 'Lowell' Edwards and Dr. Albert Starr.
- When did Edwards Lifesciences start?
- Edwards Lifesciences was founded in 1958.
- How old is Edwards Lifesciences?
- Edwards Lifesciences is 68 years old as of 2026.
Founding Story
In 1958, an engineer named Miles Lowell Edwards set out to build an artificial heart. Convinced that a human heart could be replaced with mechanical devices, he partnered with pioneering cardiovascular surgeon Dr. Albert Starr. Together, they designed and successfully implanted the legendary Starr-Edwards caged-ball valve in 1960, giving birth to the modern artificial heart valve industry and establishing a legacy of relentless clinical innovation. Throughout its history, Edwards Lifesciences navigated complex technical evolutions, transitioning from early mechanical implant prototypes to modern precision bio-compatible devices and pulsed field energy systems. This sustained biomedical engineering focus allowed the company to survive cyclical reimbursement changes, out-innovate larger diversified conglomerates, and establish deep institutional trust with interventional cardiologists, electrophysiologists, and cardiac surgeons worldwide.
Founders
Miles 'Lowell' Edwards
An ingenious engineer and entrepreneur who conceptualized and built the world's first artificial heart valve in 1958 in Santa Ana, California, revolutionizing cardiac surgery forever.
Dr. Albert Starr
Renowned cardiovascular surgeon at Oregon Medical School who partnered with Lowell Edwards to design, implant, and clinically validate the legendary Starr-Edwards caged-ball valve.
Key Milestones
Foundation by Lowell Edwards
Miles Lowell Edwards founds Edwards Laboratories in Santa Ana, California, with the visionary goal of building an artificial heart and transforming cardiovascular medicine forever through engineering innovation and perseverance.
Source: edwards.comFirst Starr-Edwards Valve Implantation
Dr. Albert Starr successfully implants the first Starr-Edwards caged-ball artificial heart valve in a human patient, marking a monumental breakthrough in cardiac surgery and opening new therapeutic horizons.
Source: edwards.comAcquisition by Baxter International
Edwards Laboratories operates as a key cardiovascular division under Baxter Healthcare, accelerating global distribution, international commercialization, and advanced cardiovascular research.
Source: edwards.comIndependent Spin-Off on NYSE
Edwards Lifesciences spins off from Baxter International as an independent publicly traded company under the ticker symbol EW on the New York Stock Exchange, unlocking focused corporate growth.
Source: nyse.comAcquisition of PVT for TAVR Pioneer Status
Edwards acquires Percutaneous Valve Technologies (PVT) for $155 million, securing the groundbreaking percutaneous heart valve technology that becomes the legendary SAPIEN platform.
Source: edwards.comCE Mark Approval for SAPIEN Valve
The Edwards SAPIEN transcatheter heart valve receives European CE Mark approval, revolutionizing treatment standards for high-risk and inoperable aortic stenosis patients across international markets.
Source: edwards.comFDA Approval of SAPIEN in the US
The FDA approves the SAPIEN transcatheter heart valve as the first commercial TAVR therapy in the United States following landmark results from the pivotal PARTNER clinical trials.
Source: fda.govLaunch of SAPIEN 3
Edwards introduces the SAPIEN 3 transcatheter heart valve, establishing new clinical gold standards with significantly reduced paravalvular leak rates and improved delivery catheter profiles.
Source: edwards.comAcquisition of Valtech Cardio
Edwards acquires Valtech Cardio for $690 million, adding the innovative PASCAL mitral and tricuspid repair system to its expanding structural heart disease therapeutic portfolio.
Source: edwards.comPARTNER 3 Low-Risk Trial Landmark
Long-term data from the PARTNER 3 clinical trial demonstrates the definitive superiority of SAPIEN 3 TAVR over traditional open-heart surgery in low-risk aortic stenosis patient cohorts.
Source: nejm.orgLaunch of SAPIEN 3 Ultra RESILIA
Edwards launches the SAPIEN 3 Ultra RESILIA valve featuring advanced anti-calcification tissue preservation technology designed for enhanced long-term durability and patient outcomes.
Source: edwards.comBernard Zovighian Assumes CEO Role
Michael A. Mussallem transitions after decades of visionary leadership, and Bernard J. Zovighian assumes the role of Chief Executive Officer to guide Edwards into its next era.
Source: edwards.comDivestiture of Critical Care Unit to BD
Edwards completes the strategic sale of its Critical Care product group to Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD) for $4.2 billion in cash, sharpening corporate focus on structural heart.
Source: edwards.comEVOQUE Tricuspid Valve Market Expansion
Accelerates commercial rollouts and clinical adoption of the EVOQUE transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement system following breakthrough global regulatory approvals and strong data.
Source: edwards.comMajor Acquisitions
Percutaneous Valve Technologies (PVT)
2004Valtech Cardio
2017Harpoon Medical
2017Endotronix & Innovalve
2024Keep researching Edwards Lifesciences
Edwards Lifesciences Company History FAQ
When was undefined founded and who started it?
undefined was established in undefined in undefined. The founders launched the enterprise with a clear mission to innovate within undefined, pioneering new operational models and customer-centric financial solutions that transformed traditional marketplace practices.
What were the most important milestones in undefined's history?
Key historical milestones for undefined include its initial foundation in undefined, the rollout of proprietary operational and digital platforms, major institutional capital expansions, strategic corporate acquisitions, and its evolution into a recognized market titan generating undefined in annual revenue.
How did undefined survive historic economic downturns?
undefined navigated major economic crises and market volatility by preserving conservative balance sheet reserves, diversifying its core revenue streams across multiple customer segments, and leveraging low-cost operational infrastructure to maintain positive operating margins when competitors struggled.
Where is undefined headquartered today?
undefined maintains its global corporate headquarters in undefined, directing enterprise strategy, regulatory compliance, technology engineering, and international customer operations from this central location.
Related Strategic History
Compare founding milestones and corporate evolution
Explore Edwards Lifesciences
Core profile pages, founders and related research hubs for this company.