Author Topic: This groundbreaking biomaterial heals tissues from the inside out  (Read 205 times)

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Offline Kamaji

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This groundbreaking biomaterial heals tissues from the inside out

The material can be injected intravenously and has potential application in heart attacks, traumatic brain injury and more

Date: January 30, 2023
Source: University of California - San Diego
Summary: A new biomaterial that can be injected intravenously, reduces inflammation in tissue and promotes cell and tissue repair. The biomaterial was tested and proven effective in treating tissue damage caused by heart attacks in both rodent and large animal models. Researchers also provided proof of concept in a rodent model that the biomaterial could be beneficial to patients with traumatic brain injury and pulmonary arterial hypertension.

"This biomaterial allows for treating damaged tissue from the inside out," said Karen Christman, a professor of bioengineering at the University of California San Diego, and the lead researcher on the team that developed the material. "It's a new approach to regenerative engineering."

A study on the safety and efficacy of the biomaterial in human subjects could start within one to two years, Christman added. The team, which brings together bioengineers and physicians, presented their findings in the Dec. 29 issue of Nature Biomedical Engineering.

There are an estimated 785,000 new heart attack cases in the United States each year, and there is no established treatment for repairing the resulting damage to cardiac tissue. After a heart attack, scar tissue develops, which diminishes muscle function and can lead to congestive heart failure.

"Coronary artery disease, acute myocardial infarction, and congestive heart failure continue to be the most burdensome public health problems affecting our society today," said Dr. Ryan R. Reeves, a physician in the UC San Diego Division of Cardiovascular Medicine. "As an interventional cardiologist, who treats patients with coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure on a daily basis, I would love to have another therapy to improve patient outcomes and reduce debilitating symptoms."

In previous studies, the team led by Christman developed a hydrogel made from the natural scaffolding of cardiac muscle tissue, also known as the extracellular matrix (ECM), that can be injected into damaged heart muscle tissue via a catheter. The gel forms a scaffold in damaged areas of the heart, encouraging new cell growth and repair. Results from a successful phase 1 human clinical trial were reported in fall 2019. But because it needs to be injected directly into heart muscle, it can only be used a week or more after a heart attack -- sooner would risk causing damage because of the needle-based injection procedure.

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Source:  https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/01/230130144805.htm