Injectable Biomaterial Shows Promise for Repairing Heart Attack Damage
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Researchers have developed an injectable biomaterial that, in animal studies, reduced damage and improved repair following a heart attack. With no current therapy directly repairing heart tissue, this approach could address a significant unmet need for the estimated 785,000 annual U.S. heart attack cases. The team plans to seek FDA authorization for human studies.
Facts First
- An injectable biomaterial reduced heart damage in animal models following a heart attack.
- The material binds to leaky blood vessels at injury sites and is designed to be largely degraded within about three days.
- No established therapy currently directly repairs heart tissue after a heart attack.
- The research team plans to seek FDA authorization to study the material for heart conditions in humans.
- Early proof-of-concept experiments suggested the approach may be useful for traumatic brain injury and pulmonary arterial hypertension.
What Happened
A team led by Professor Karen Christman at the University of California San Diego has developed a new injectable biomaterial designed to travel through the bloodstream. In studies involving rodents and large animals, infusion of this material improved tissue damage caused by heart attacks. The biomaterial is an intravascularly infused extracellular matrix (ECM) biomaterial made from decellularized, enzymatically digested, and fractionated ventricular myocardium. It is designed to localize to injured tissue by binding to leaky microvasculature and is largely degraded within approximately three days.
Why this Matters to You
If you or someone you know experiences a heart attack, current care focuses on restoring blood flow and managing future risks, but no established therapy directly repairs the damaged heart tissue. This new approach aims to address that gap. For the estimated 785,000 new heart attack cases in the United States each year, a successful therapy could improve recovery outcomes. The material's design for intravenous or coronary artery infusion might make it a more accessible treatment option than earlier methods requiring direct injection into the heart muscle.
What's Next
The research team, including Christman and her startup Ventrix Bio, Inc., plans to seek FDA authorization to study the intravascular biomaterial for heart conditions in humans. A human study testing the safety and effectiveness could begin within one to two years, based on a 2022 statement. Separately, a phase 1 open-label study sponsored by Emory University is listed on ClinicalTrials.gov to assess the safety and feasibility of intramyocardial injection of a related Ventrix Bio extracellular matrix material in children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome.