Disease Focus: Heart failure


A Phase I, Pilot Study of Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes in PaTients with ChrOnic Ischemic Left VentRicular Dysfunction (HECTOR)

Dr. Wu and his team at Stanford University will use hESCs to generate cardiomyocytes (CM), a type of cell that makes up the heart muscle.  The newly created hESC-CMs will then be administered to patients at the site of the heart muscle damage in a first-in-human trial.  This initial trial will evaluate the safety and feasibility of […]

Allogeneic Cardiac-Derived Stem Cells for Patients Following a Myocardial Infarction

In this trial, Capricor Therapeutics used donor cells derived from the heart to treat patients at risk for developing heart failure after a heart attack. In previous clinical studies, the cells appeared to reduce scar tissue, promote blood vessel growth and improve heart function. This trial is ending after failing to achieve its primary goal […]

Novel Lipid Nanoparticles for Enhancing eNOS Synthesis for Cardioprotection Post Myocardial Infarction

Research Objective Our therapeutic candidate is a lipid nanoparticle that delivers a therapeutic dose of mRNA to the human heart, which transiently transfects of cells within the heart to improve function after an MI. Impact There is evidence for eNOS therapy as a cardioprotectant post MI; however, the progression of to the clinic has stalled […]

Modified RNA-Based Gene Therapy for Cardiac Regeneration Through Cardiomyocyte Proliferation

Research Objective Efficacious and safe intramyocardial delivery of modified mRNA encoding cell cycle regulators as a gene therapy for cardiac regeneration through resident cardiomyocyte proliferation. Impact This project would provide disease-modifying gene therapy for people with heart failure due to loss of cardiac muscle, a leading cause of deaths in the US, using novel modified […]

Cardiac Reprogramming Gene Therapy for Post-Myocardial Infarction Heart Failure

Research Objective The candidate is a gene therapy that delivers cardiac reprogramming factors to convert resident cardiac fibroblasts into functioning cardiac muscle. Thus, it is a regenerative cardiac gene therapy. Impact The targeted condition is heart failure arising from myocardial infarction or other insults causing focal heart muscle loss. Cardiac muscle cells are post-mitotic and […]

New noncoding RNA chemical entity for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Research Objective Modified synthetic noncoding RNA molecule Impact Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction Major Proposed Activities Lead optimization Perform extensive preclinical testing and select a therapeutic candidate. Develop and test preliminary potency assays based on mechanistic insights. Demonstration of injury-modifying bioactivity in a clinically-relevant human progenitor cell population. Optimize formulation and dosing for intravenous […]

Hypoxia-specific Production of Exosomes from iPSC-derivatives for Myocardial Repair

Research Objective A lead therapeutic candidate will be selected: 1) exosomes from hypoxia-injured iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes (iCMs), 2) exosomal miRNA cluster, and 3) siRNA inhibition of exosomal target gene, Notch3. Impact Effective targeted therapy to restore the injured and vulnerable myocardium is urgently needed to reduce the high mortality of HF patients. Promising discovery of iPSC […]

A Phase I, Pilot Study of Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes in PaTients with ChrOnic Ischemic Left VentRicular Dysfunction (HECTOR)

Therapeutic Candidate or Device The therapeutic candidate is human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hESC-CMs) as a new therapy for chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy patients Indication hESC-CMs will be indicated for treatment of heart failure (HF) and for preventing progression to HF in patients with chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy. Therapeutic Mechanism There are two commonly accepted mechanisms by […]

Extracellular Vesicles for Ventricular Tachycardia

Therapeutic Candidate or Device CSSHI-2003 (extracellular vesibles derived from cardiohsphere derived cells) Indication Patients afflicted with recurrent fast and irregular heart beating (a.k.a. ventricular tachycardia). Therapeutic Mechanism CSHHI-2003 (CDC exosomes) are lipid vesicles filled with bioactive materials that have anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic, and regenerative properties. Decreasing the fibrosis in the heart can decrease the incidence of […]

“Stem Cell Therapies for Heart Failure”

Our multi-institutional program is dedicated to the treatment of heart failure, which has become a leading cause of death in California and the U. S. The high death toll continues to climb despite many significant recent advances in the medical treatment of heart failure. The disease is due to a debilitating loss and/or dysfunction of […]