China's indigenous "artificial heart" saved two people from advanced heart failure, setting a new record as patients survived over 100 days, state-run China Daily reported Monday.

The auxiliary heart device was used in March by the doctors at the TEDA International Cardiovascular Hospital in Tianjin, northeast China.

A 39-year-old man and a 62-year-old woman, who were diagnosed with advanced dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM)

— a cardiovascular condition that enlarges the heart to the point it cannot pump blood effectively survived longer than any who had undergone the operation before.

HeartCon, a cardiovascular assisting device developed and patented exclusively by China, is claimed to be the first entirely indigenous such device in the country, it was reported.

It was jointly developed by TEDA and the Chinese rocket technology developer, the Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. All components of the device were produced in China. The device weighs 180 grams and is powered by two batteries.

The HeartCon was submitted for special review and approval procedure, the daily said, after being approved by the Chinese Food and Drug Administration in June 2018.