Descripción del proyecto
Tratamiento basado en ARN para la insuficiencia cardíaca
La insuficiencia cardíaca se asocia con la fibrosis o cicatrización cardíaca, la cual es una consecuencia inevitable de lesión miocárdica que afecta a la función diastólica y sistólica. A pesar de su pesada carga socioeconómica, no existen tratamientos que restablezcan la fibrosis cardíaca y curen la insuficiencia cardíaca. El proyecto MEGFIB, financiado con fondos europeos, propone el desarrollo de un nuevo método de tratamiento de pacientes seleccionados con insuficiencia cardíaca, basado en ARN no codificantes, los cuales están surgiendo como agentes importantes en la patogenia de la enfermedad. Los científicos esperan, mediante la utilización de oligonucleótidos dirigidos al ARN no codificante de cadena larga meg3 en células humanas, replicar sus resultados en modelos animales y establecer un nuevo método en el cuidado de la insuficiencia cardíaca.
Objetivo
Cardiac fibrosis is a hallmark of and mechanistically involved in heart failure; a disease will high clinical unmet need and fundamental socioeconomic importance. Specific treatments of cardiac fibrosis are lacking. RNAs that do not code for proteins comprise a large portion of the human genome. These so-called noncoding RNAs are emerging as important players in disease pathogenesis, yet their functional roles are ill understood. Our group currently pioneered first clinical testings on noncoding RNA inhibitors in heart failure patients showing the enormous clinical translational potential of such next-generation therapeutics. We now aim to develop a new approach to treat selected heart failure patients, which show increased signs of cardiac fibrosis. Within the ERC grant LONGHEART we have identified a lncRNA meg3 to be a novel and innovative target in heart failure pathologies with fibrosis (Circ Res. 2017 Aug 18;121(5):575-583; Fig. 1). Importantly meg3 is well conserved between rodents and humans allowing translational development. Oligonucleotide-mediated silencing of Meg3 in human cardiac fibroblasts and in vivo in mice resulted in decreased cardiac fibrosis and improved diastolic performance of the heart. Within MEGFIB, we now aim to advance these valuable research results on meg3-based improvements of cardiac fibrosis in mice towards commercial proof-of-concept. Important next steps are a) translation of the efficacy to human cells and tissues and b) sophisticated market analysis, c) IP strategy development and d) business development activities to maximize the value of the projects’ results. The outcome of our activities will be consolidated into a business plan for presenting our proposition to strategic partners, such as Cardior Pharmaceuticals or venture capitalists (VCs). We are proposing a unique RNA-based approach that offers a new opportunity to revolutionize medical practice, improve patient care and will reduce costs in the heart failure care.
Ámbito científico
Programa(s)
Régimen de financiación
ERC-POC-LS - ERC Proof of Concept Lump Sum PilotInstitución de acogida
30625 Hannover
Alemania