A preview of the emerging health care companies profiled in the current issue of Start-Up. This month's profile group, New Approaches to Heart Valve Repair and Replacement, features profiles of 3F Therapeutics, Arbor Surgical Technologies and Heart Leaflet Technologies. Plus these Start-Ups Across Health Care: Neotropix, NeuroHealing Pharmaceuticals, Othera Pharmaceuticals and Vitra Bioscience.

3F Therapeutics Inc. is entering the valve replacement market covering all its bases: The start-up, which caters to cardiac surgeons, is making sure physicians have several options when it comes to valve replacement technology.

Start-ups with percutaneous technologies aim to move heart valve procedures out of the OR and into the cath lab.

Analyzing the venture financings closed by 2004's new crop of biotech, diagnostics, and medical device start-ups reveals today's trends that may shape tomorrow's health care industry. Here we point out eleven 2004 Series A financings that identify and illustrate what's hot.