Descripción del proyecto
Elastina para remendar un corazón roto
El infarto agudo de miocardio, o «ataque al corazón», es causado por una restricción de la circulación sanguínea al corazón que puede provocar daños tisulares. Para prevenir la formación de tejido cicatricial, el equipo del proyecto ELR-SCAR, financiado con fondos europeos, propone desarrollar un hidrogel compuesto de elastina, una proteína que aporta fuerza y elasticidad a los tejidos. Este material se une de forma eficaz al endocardio y proporciona una barrera contra la cicatrización y, además, es biodegradable. El plan consiste en administrar el hidrogel a través de un catéter endocárdico al corazón de los pacientes, un método que se probará en el proyecto ELR-SCAR mediante un primer estudio de validación en humanos. Teniendo en cuenta la alta prevalencia del infarto agudo de miocardio en la población, se prevé que el método propuesto tenga una gran repercusión social.
Objetivo
The ELR SCAR project aims to complete preclinical validation of a novel biomaterial, an elastin-like recombinant (ELR) hydrogel, to prevent scar tissue formation in the heart following myocardial infarction (MI), commonly called a heart attack. MI is the endpoint of ischaemic heart disease (IHD). In Europe, the highest rates of IHD worldwide equal ~26.5 million patients. Standards of care interventions after MI have serious limitations in treatment efficacy (many patients are still at risk of developing heart failure) and patient safety. There is a clear medical need for new treatment solutions that prevent scar tissue formation and irreversible cardiac remodelling. Our robust preclinical dataset so far indicates that the ELR hydrogel has this promising functionality via multiple unique characteristics: it provides selective cell adhesion to the endocardium, providing a barrier to scar tissue formation; it offers high biospecificity to the ischaemic microenvironment, and it has an enhanced biodegradability, allowing for safe disintegration in the body. To facilitate endocardial delivery of the ELR hydrogel, we will develop a minimally invasive endocardial catheter in this project. Both components (hydrogel + catheter) will be advanced to the preparedness level for a first-in-human (FIH) validation study for the application as therapeutic intervention post-MI (to be performed after the project). In addition, we will develop the regulatory and IPR strategies in preparation for this clinical validation step. Considering the high societal impact of ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and MI, we will also develop a solid health economic evaluation of possible savings and patient benefits. ELR-SCAR will transform and fundamentally improve clinical practice, resulting in reducing the enormous burden that MI and its leading cause, IHD, place on society and the individual patient.
Ámbito científico
Palabras clave
Programa(s)
Convocatoria de propuestas
HORIZON-CL4-2022-RESILIENCE-01
Consulte otros proyectos de esta convocatoriaRégimen de financiación
HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation ActionsCoordinador
H91 Galway
Irlanda