UCLA’s new heart therapy may prevent heart failure after heart attacks

Scientists at UCLA’s Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine have developed a new treatment to help the heart heal after a heart attack. The antibody-based therapy stops a protein called ENPP1, which can cause scarring in heart tissue. This scarring weakens the heart over time. The research team, led by Professor Arjun Deb, believes that this therapy can prevent heart failure in many cases. Clinical trials on humans could start in 2025.

Block ENPP1 to prevent damage

The study was led by Dr. Arjun Deb, professor of medicine and molecular biology at UCLA. Dr. Deb says current treatments do not help the heart heal after a heart attack. However, this new treatment blocks ENPP1, which normally causes inflammation and scarring. The antibody treatment works by mimicking human antibodies. In preclinical tests, animals treated with this antibody had less scarring and better heart function.

One-dose treatment shows promise

A single dose of the antibody was sufficient in studies to improve heart recovery. Only 5% of treated animals developed severe heart failure, while 52% of untreated animals did. The findings suggest this could be the first treatment to truly promote heart repair. The team of Dr. Deb plans to soon apply for FDA approval to test this therapy in humans. They hope to administer the treatment within days of a heart attack to help prevent long-term damage.

Potential for other uses in tissue repair

The team is now testing the treatment on other organs to see if it can help with recovery elsewhere in the body. Dr. Deb notes that tissue repair processes are similar in all organs, so this therapy may be useful beyond cardiac repair. This new treatment, which is still in its infancy, has not yet been approved for use. Further testing will determine its safety and effectiveness in humans.