The first of 200 patients from around the world will be treated at the Golden Jubilee National Hospital, Clydebank, and the Royal Brompton Hospital, London, in the next three to six weeks.

All suffer from severe chronic heart failure, due to the after-effects of heart attacks and inherited conditions.

Doctors will randomly treat half the patients with a harmless virus carrying a corrective gene. The rest will receive an inactive placebo treatment.

Previous research suggests that a protein produced by the gene can restore function to failing hearts, and reduce the risk of death and the need for heart transplants.

Lead investigator Dr Alexander Lyon, consultant cardiologist at the Royal Brompton, said: "Our goal is to fight back against heart failure by targeting and reversing some of the critical molecular changes arising in the heart when it fails."

The Cupid 2 trial is taking place in conjunction with US biotech company Celladon, which has patented the treatment.

The therapy involves injecting the virus directly into the heart via a catheter. As the virus infects the heart cells, it implants the corrective gene.

This has the effect of increasing levels of a protein called SERCA2a, which plays a key role in a vital signalling mechanism involving calcium.

"When the heart muscle is injured it activates a series of compensatory changes, but over time fatigue sets in which results in the natural version of this gene switching off," said Dr Lyon. "When the gene is repaired it produces more of the functional protein and the problem is reversed."

Contextual targeting label:

Excerpt from:
Gene hope for heart patients

Comments are closed.