New Drug Targets and Preclinical Modelling Recommendations for Treating Acute Myocardial Infarction

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Regenerative Medicine
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a major global cause of morbidity, mortality, and heart failure.
• Current treatments for AMI do not prevent organ damage from acute ischemic injury.
• There is a growing need for innovative therapeutic strategies to address the increasing global burden of heart failure.

Approach:

• This review analyzes the disease burden of AMI and the current therapeutic landscape.
• It highlights emerging research on acid-sensitive and proton-gated ion channels in cardiac ischemia.
• The review discusses guidelines for integrating cell technologies and data resources with traditional animal models to de-risk drug candidates for AMI.

Key Points:

• Acid-sensitive cardiac ion channels and other proton-gated channels are implicated in cardiac ischemia, renewing interest in pre- and post-conditioning agents.
• Novel therapeutic mechanisms targeting these channels may have implications for gene- and cell-based treatments.
• Improved preclinical pipelines and enhanced drug target identification are essential for advancing AMI therapeutics.

Conclusions:

• Developing drugs to prevent organ damage from acute ischemic heart injury remains a critical unmet need.
• Regenerative technologies, including drug, gene, and cell-based approaches, are advancing towards clinical application.
• Enhanced preclinical strategies and investment in drug target discovery are vital to mitigate the global health impact of heart failure stemming from AMI.