Taken to heart

A study by Stanford University School of Medicine researchers suggests a mitochondrial enzyme activator called Alda-1 could help decrease the risk of cardiac injury in patients receiving nitroglycerin for cardiac conditions.¹ ALDEA Pharmaceuticals Inc. has already raised money to optimize Alda-1 for clinical use.

In the emergency room, nitroglycerin is typically delivered as a sublingual tablet or oral spray to individuals suffering chest pain, or as an i.v. drip or patch to heart attack patients. The tablet and spray doses are effective for a few minutes after administration, whereas the drip and patch are given for one to two days...