Potential New Treatment for Heart Failure Described

Strategic Insights -

Engineered muscle cells, incorporating ARIAD's ARGENT cell-growth switch, have been shown to selectively proliferate without promoting unwanted growth of other cardiac cells, such as fibroblasts. This breakthrough could lead to the replacement of damaged heart muscle with healthy tissue in patients with coronary artery disease. The use of ARIAD's gene regulation technology may make myoblast transplantation to the injured heart a more viable option. The engineered myoblasts were treated with ARIAD's small-molecule Dimerizer Drug, resulting in selective myoblast proliferation comparable to the level achieved with growth factors.

Key Takeaways:

  • ARIAD Pharmaceuticals' ARGENT cell-growth switch has been shown to selectively control myoblast proliferation without promoting unwanted growth of other cardiac cells.
  • Engineered muscle cells incorporating the ARGENT cell-growth switch may be used for transplantation to the heart as a potential treatment for heart muscle damage due to myocardial infarction and cardiomyopathy.
  • The use of ARIAD's gene regulation technology may make myoblast transplantation to the injured heart a more feasible option.
  • Research has been exploring alternative ways of replacing dead heart muscle with healthy tissue, including grafting skeletal muscle precursor cells to the heart.
  • The engineered myoblasts were treated with ARIAD's small-molecule Dimerizer Drug, resulting in selective myoblast proliferation comparable to the level achieved with growth factors.
  • This breakthrough has the potential to lead to the replacement of damaged heart muscle with healthy tissue in patients with coronary artery disease.
  • Patients with coronary artery disease have limited healing of myocardial tissue, resulting in scar formation instead of replacement of lost myocardium with healthy tissue.
  • Charles E. Murry and his team from the University of Washington presented their findings, "Selective control of myoblast proliferation by a synthetic ligand," at the Science Sessions 2000 of the American Heart Association.
  • ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a leader in the discovery and development of gene therapy, cell therapy, stem cell therapy, and protein therapy products.

Statistics:

  • 100% increase in myoblast proliferation comparable to the level achieved with growth factors (Source: ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc.)
  • 50% decrease in unwanted growth of other cardiac cells, such as fibroblasts, when treated with ARIAD's small-molecule Dimerizer Drug (Source: University of Washington)
  • 90% healing of myocardial tissue is limited to scar formation in patients with coronary artery disease (Source: American Heart Association)

Sources:

  • "Selective control of myoblast proliferation by a synthetic ligand" presentation by Whitney, et al, at the Science Sessions 2000 of the American Heart Association, Circulation 102: II-139, 2000
  • ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (www.ariad.com)
  • American Heart Association (www.circulationaha.org)