Scientists at UCLA’s Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine have developed a new treatment to help the heart heal after a heart attack. The therapy, based on antibodies, 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 this therapy could prevent heart failure in many cases. Clinical trials on humans may start in 2025.
Blocking ENPP1 to Prevent Damage
The study was led by Dr Arjun Deb, a professor of medicine and molecular biology at UCLA. Dr Deb says current treatments don’t help the heart heal after a heart attack. This new treatment, however, blocks ENPP1, which normally triggers 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.
Single-Dose Treatment Shows Promise
A single dose of the antibody was enough to improve heart repair in trials. Only 5% of treated animals developed severe heart failure, while 52% of untreated animals did. The findings suggest this could be the first treatment that promotes real heart repair. Dr Deb’s team plans to apply for FDA approval soon to test this therapy in people. 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 repair elsewhere in the body. Dr Deb notes that tissue repair processes are similar across organs, so this therapy could be useful beyond heart repair. This new treatment, still in its early stages, is not yet approved for use. Further testing will determine its safety and effectiveness in humans.