Ark's EG011 helps regrow blood vessels in heart attack model

UK-based Ark Therapeutics' gene-based medicine EG011 for refractory angina, helped grow new blood vessels and restore heart function following a heart attack in a preclinical proof-of-principle study.

VEGF DDNDC, which had been identified by Ark as promising in a healthy heart model, showed superiority to the other VEGF forms producing a four-fold increase (p=0.0001) in the mean capillary area adjacent to the infarct within six days of injection. This effect was maintained out to 21 days with no signs of regression nor evidence of arteriole formation. A transient small increase (50% lower than VEGF A) in accumulation of pericardial fluid was evident in the treated area at day six following new capillary formation and this level had returned to control levels by day 21.

The left ventricle ejection fraction, which had dropped from nearly 70% before infarct to 46% after infarct, rose by over 16% (p=0.0002) with EG011, representing restoration of nearly 90% of the ventricular function. This compared favorably to a non-significant rise of around 2% in marker gene controls. EG011 appeared well tolerated with no differences in serious adverse events observed between active and control groups, the firm noted.