American Heart Association and Additional Ventures Launch $20M Collaborative Initiative to Revolutionize Care for Single Ventricle Heart Disease

A new $20M partnership between the AHA and Additional Ventures aims to improve long-term care and proactive monitoring for single ventricle heart disease patients.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 31, 2026, 4:07 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from American Heart Association

Addressing the Lifelong Strain of Fontan Circulation

Children born with single ventricle heart disease face a challenging medical journey that begins with a series of complex surgeries to reroute their blood flow. The primary surgical solution, known as the Fontan procedure, allows these children to survive with only one functioning heart pump. However, this artificial circulatory system, while lifesaving, creates a unique physiological environment that places immense, chronic stress on the entire body. Over time, this pressure can lead to progressive damage in organs far beyond the heart, including the liver, kidneys, and lungs. The newly announced $20 million effort seeks to understand these systemic effects to prevent the sudden, often fatal declines in health that currently plague the Fontan community.

A Strategic Shift from Reactive to Proactive Medicine

One of the most significant hurdles in treating single ventricle heart disease is the lack of reliable monitoring tools for clinicians. Currently, many patients appear clinically stable for years, only to experience severe and sudden complications that significantly diminish their quality of life. The collaboration between the American Heart Association (AHA) and Additional Ventures aims to close this gap by creating the scientific foundation necessary for early detection. By developing specific tools to predict and detect signs of decline before they become critical, the program intends to transform the standard of care from a reactive model to one defined by proactive, science-informed health monitoring.

Leveraging Combined Expertise and Infrastructure

The success of this initiative relies on the combined strengths of two major leaders in cardiovascular research and strategy. The AHA provides a massive global infrastructure that includes established clinical guidelines, data coordination, and registry science. Additional Ventures contributes deep, specialized expertise in single ventricle disease and an unparalleled network across the medical ecosystem. According to Kirstie Keller, PhD, CEO of Additional Ventures, this partnership will engage clinicians, researchers, and patients directly to ensure that the tools developed are both scientifically rigorous and practically applicable to the daily lives of those living with Fontan circulation.