A groundbreaking stem-cell technology has kept a woman with heart failure alive long enough to receive a heart transplant, scientists have revealed. The breakthrough involves implanting patches made of heart cells derived from stem cells into the failing heart. These patches, each comprising approximately 400 million heart cells, have shown potential in stabilizing patients with severe heart conditions. The woman's heart failure was a result of a heart attack she suffered in 2016, and the innovative technology enabled her to remain stable until she underwent a heart transplant three months later.
The technology marks a significant advancement in cardiac treatment. The method employed involves growing heart cells from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). This approach was initially tested on rhesus macaque monkeys, where patches made from monkey stem cells were implanted in animals with heart failure. The success of this trial paved the way for human trials, with the patches being implanted in 15 individuals as part of an ongoing study.
Heart failure is a prevalent condition affecting an estimated 6.7 million adults aged 20 and older in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Those with severe heart failure face a grim prognosis, with over half succumbing within a year if they do not receive a heart transplant. However, the availability of donor hearts remains limited, making this new technology a beacon of hope for many.
The technology's development highlights the limitations of heart muscle cells, which do not easily regenerate or repair themselves following damage such as that caused by a heart attack. This innovation offers a potential new source of heart cells for transplantation, which could revolutionize treatment for those suffering from heart failure.
Dr. Ingo Kutschka, one of the leading scientists involved in the project, emphasized the significance of this achievement.
"We now have, for the first time, a laboratory-grown biological transplant available which has the potential to stabilize and strengthen the heart muscle," – Dr. Ingo Kutschka
The positive outcomes observed in the monkey trials provided a foundation for progressing to human trials. These trials aim to assess the safety and efficacy of the patches in human volunteers. Scientists report that this method successfully adds muscle to the failing heart without raising safety concerns.
"This is clear now, that you can add muscle to the failing heart, and that we can do that without safety concerns," – Wolfram-Hubertus Zimmermann
The patches are strategically implanted on the heart's surface.
"The graft is basically outside of the heart," – Dr. Jianyi Zhang
This approach minimizes potential risks while maximizing therapeutic benefits. As researchers continue to monitor patient outcomes, they remain optimistic about the transformative potential of this technology. By providing a new source of heart cells for transplantation, it offers a promising alternative for patients awaiting donor hearts.
