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<P align="center" style="font-size: 14pt"><B>UNITED STATES<BR>
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION<BR>
<FONT style="font-size: 12pt">Washington, D.C. 20549
</FONT></B>

<P align="center" style="font-size: 18pt"><B>FORM 8-K</B>

<P align="center" style="font-size: 12pt"><B>CURRENT REPORT<BR>
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934</B>

<P align="center" style="font-size: 10pt"><B>Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): December 16, 2008</B>

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<P align="center" style="font-size: 24pt"><B>HEARTWARE INTERNATIONAL, INC.<BR></B>
<FONT style="font-size: 10pt">(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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    <TD style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"><B>Delaware</B></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"><B>000-52595</B></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"><B>26-3636023</B></TD>
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<TR valign="top">
    <TD>(State or other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>(Commission File Number)</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>(IRS Employer Identification No.)</TD>
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    <TD width="49%">&nbsp;</TD>
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    <TD style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"><B>205 Newbury Street<BR>Framingham, MA <BR></B></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"><B>01701</B></TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="top">
    <TD>(Address of Principal Executive Offices)</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>(Zip Code)</TD>
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<P align="center" style="font-size: 10pt">Registrant&#146;s telephone number, including area code: <B>508.739.0950</B>


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    <TD nowrap>(Former name or former address if changed since last report.)</TD>
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<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt">Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant
under any of the following provisions:

<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt">
<FONT face="Wingdings">&#111;</FONT> Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)<BR><BR>
<FONT face="Wingdings">&#111;</FONT> Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)<BR><BR>
<FONT face="Wingdings">&#111;</FONT> Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))<BR><BR>
<FONT face="Wingdings">&#111;</FONT> Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))<BR>


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<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt"><B>Item&nbsp;7.01Regulation&nbsp;FD Disclosure</B>


<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt">HeartWare International, Inc. (ASX: HIN) announced today, December&nbsp;16, 2008, (December&nbsp;17, 2008 Australian Standard
Time), via an Australian Securities Exchange (&#147;ASX&#148;) announcement, it has appointed Mark Slaughter M.D. to be the
Principal Investigator for its Bridge-to-Transplant trial in the United States.


<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt">Dr.&nbsp;Slaughter is the Director of the Division of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery at Jewish Hospital and the
University of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky which is one of the leading transplant centers in the United States.
He is a world-renowned expert in heart transplantation, ventricular assist devices and the surgical management of heart
failure. As one of the leaders in the field of ventricular assist devices, he has given more than 65 invited lectures,
published more than 50 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters and presented more than 85 papers and abstracts at
national and international conferences.


<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt">A copy of the full ASX announcement is attached as an Exhibit.


<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt"><B>Item&nbsp;9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits</B>


<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt">Exhibit&nbsp;99.1 ASX announcement dated December&nbsp;17, 2008, Australian Eastern Standard Time (December&nbsp;16, 2008 US Eastern
Standard Time).


<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt"><B>SIGNATURES</B>


<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt">Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be
signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

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    <TD colspan="3" valign="top" align="left">HeartWare Limited<br><br></TD>
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<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">Date: December&nbsp;16, 2008
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">By:
</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">/s/ David McIntyre</TD>
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&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
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&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
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    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Name: David McIntyre</TD>
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    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">
&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Title: Chief Financial Officer and
Chief Operating Officer</TD>
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Filed by Bowne Pure Compliance
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): December 16, 2008
HEARTWARE INTERNATIONAL, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware
000-52595
26-3636023
(State or other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
(Commission File Number)
(IRS Employer Identification No.)
205 Newbury Street
Framingham, MA
01701
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code:
508.739.0950
(Former name or former address if changed since last report.)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant
under any of the following provisions:
o
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
o
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
o
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
o
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Item 7.01Regulation FD Disclosure
HeartWare International, Inc. (ASX: HIN) announced today, December 16, 2008, (December 17, 2008 Australian Standard
Time), via an Australian Securities Exchange ("ASX") announcement, it has appointed Mark Slaughter M.D. to be the
Principal Investigator for its Bridge-to-Transplant trial in the United States.
Dr. Slaughter is the Director of the Division of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery at Jewish Hospital and the
University of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky which is one of the leading transplant centers in the United States.
He is a world-renowned expert in heart transplantation, ventricular assist devices and the surgical management of heart
failure. As one of the leaders in the field of ventricular assist devices, he has given more than 65 invited lectures,
published more than 50 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters and presented more than 85 papers and abstracts at
national and international conferences.
A copy of the full ASX announcement is attached as an Exhibit.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits
Exhibit 99.1 ASX announcement dated December 17, 2008, Australian Eastern Standard Time (December 16, 2008 US Eastern
Standard Time).
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be
signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
HeartWare Limited
Date: December 16, 2008
By:
/s/ David McIntyre
Name: David McIntyre
Title: Chief Financial Officer and
Chief Operating Officer