Now among the most promising of an emerging group of second-generation transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) companies, Symetis didn’t start out that way. It began as a cell therapy company, but its initial technology failed. On the verge of running out of money, CEO Jacques Essinger, PhD, engineered a change of direction that ultimately turned Symetis into a TAVI company with the kinds of advantages that may provide it with a competitive advantage.