Cardiac conversion

Cell therapies that aim to reverse disease progression in heart failure and myocardial infarction by restoring cardiomyocytes are beginning to report positive clinical data, but they require frequent administration via invasive procedures. Tenaya Therapeutics Inc. is developing gene therapies combined with small molecules that convert cardiac fibroblasts into heart muscle cells in vivo, which could be a more efficient approach.

Marketed therapies for cardiovascular disease work by reducing stress on the existing heart muscle. The only option to restore lost muscle is heart transplant, a strategy limited by donor availability. ...