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Updated: Mar 7, 2026
Molecular Evolution of the Tre Recombinase
Published on: May 29, 2008
Concise Review: Mending a Broken Heart: The Evolution of Biological Therapeutics
Caressa Chen1, Vittavat Termglinchan1, Ioannis Karakikes1,2
1Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.
Insights
Innovative cell and gene therapies offer new hope for treating heart failure (HF). These advanced biological treatments aim to prevent HF progression and improve cardiac function in patients with cardiovascular disease.
Area of Science:
- Regenerative Medicine
- Cardiovascular Disease Research
- Gene Therapy
Background:
- Heart failure (HF) is a major global health issue with high morbidity and mortality.
- Current treatments are insufficient to halt HF progression, especially cardiomyocyte loss.
- Novel therapies are crucial for preventing HF progression and enhancing cardiac function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advancements in cell- and gene-based therapies for cardiovascular diseases, focusing on heart failure.
- To discuss the principles, mechanisms, and limitations of current gene and cell therapies for HF.
- To highlight emerging technologies for biological therapies in cardiovascular disease.
Main Methods:
- Review of preclinical and clinical studies on cardiac gene therapy.
- Analysis of stem and precursor cell transplantation strategies for cardiac regeneration.
- Focus on the most advanced cell- and gene-based therapies currently in clinical trials.
Main Results:
- Cell- and gene-based therapies show promise in preclinical studies for treating heart failure.
- Several gene- and cell-based therapies have advanced to clinical studies for cardiac dysfunction.
- Emerging technologies are poised to significantly impact biological therapies for cardiovascular diseases.
Conclusions:
- Cell and gene therapies represent promising strategies to combat heart failure progression.
- Further research and technological innovation are essential to optimize these biological therapies.
- These advanced treatments hold the potential to revolutionize cardiovascular disease management.
Abstract:
Heart failure (HF), a common sequela of cardiovascular diseases, remains a staggering clinical problem, associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Advances in pharmacological, interventional, and operative management have improved patient care, but these interventions are insufficient to halt the progression of HF, particularly the end-stage irreversible loss of functional cardiomyocytes. Innovative therapies that could prevent HF progression and improve the function of the failing heart are urgently needed. Following successful preclinical studies, two main strategies have emerged as potential solutions: cardiac gene therapy and cardiac regeneration through stem and precursor cell transplantation. Many potential gene- and cell-based therapies have entered into clinical studies, intending to ameliorate cardiac dysfunction in patients with advanced HF. In this review, we focus on the recent advances in cell- and gene-based therapies in the context of cardiovascular disease, emphasizing the most advanced therapies. The principles and mechanisms of action of gene and cell therapies for HF are discussed along with the limitations of current approaches. Finally, we highlight the emerging technologies that hold promise to revolutionize the biological therapies for cardiovascular diseases. Stem Cells 2017;35:1131-1140.
