A heart valve prosthesis is provided having a self-expanding multi-level framethat supports a valve body comprising a skirt and plurality of coaptingleaflets. The frame transitions between a contracted delivery configurationthat enables percutaneous transluminal delivery, and an expanded deployedconfiguration having an asymmetric hourglass shape. The valve body skirt andleaflets are constructed so that the center of coaptation may be selected toreduce horizontal forces applied to the commissures of the valve, and toefficiently distribute and transmit forces along the leaflets and to theframe. Alternatively, the valve body may be used as a surgically implantablereplacement valve prosthesis.
