Millions of people around the world suffer a heart attack each year. Although current treatments rapidly restore blood flow to the heart, many patients go on to develop heart failure. A key cause is the inflammation-driven scarring that occurs after the heart attack. There are currently no treatments that specifically target this process.

New biological drug reduces inflammation

In the current study, published in the journal Cell Stem Cell, the researchers present a new therapy that reduces inflammation and subsequent scarring. The treatment has been developed for clinical use in conjunction with balloon angioplasty.