The approach uses an injection into skeletal muscle, which prompts the body to release a natural hormone that protects the heart and supports healing. A study of the researchers’ work, published in Science, shows that one dose was able to produce the heart-helping hormone for several weeks.

“This is about helping the heart tap into its own healing mechanisms,” said Dr. Ke Huang, assistant professor in the Texas A&M Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy and a co-author of the study. “We’re trying to give patients a treatment that works with the body rather than against it. And the idea that a single shot might offer support for weeks is very exciting.”