Repairing the heart from within
University College Londonresearchers have used a thymosin b4 peptide fromRegeneRx Biopharmaceuticals Inc.to target a resident population of cardiac progenitor cells and promote tissue repair in mouse models of myocardial infarction.1 The academics now plan to screen for small molecules that target the cell population. RegeneRx could have an out-licensing opportunity for its peptide, as the company is focused on developing formulations of thymosin b4 for indications outside of cardiovascular disease.
Myocardial infarction (MI) patients are typically prescribed drugs like b-blockers and blood thinners to help prevent further injury to an already damaged heart. However, current drugs are unable to reverse existing damage and only partly restore cardiac function...