# VasaPlex-based biologics for treatment of reperfusion injury after myocardial infarction

> **NIH NIH R41** · SAMBA BIOLOGICS INCORPORATED · 2022 · $498,271

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Coronary heart disease leading to acute myocardial infarction (MI; heart attack) is a principal cause of mortality
worldwide. Cornerstone treatments for MI are designed to restore blood flow (i.e. to “reperfuse”) blocked
coronary arteries. Despite reduced times to intervention, and successful stent placement, 30-50% of primary
Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) patients exhibit low- or “no-reflow”, a phenomenon linked to poor
outcomes, increased probability of heart failure, and death. Low/no-reflow occurs when macroscopic vessels
are opened by stenting or thrombolysis, but distal myocardial perfusion remains compromised.
“VasaPlex” (HGF:IgG complex) and “VasaPlex-F2” (FGF2:HGF:IgG complex) are vaso- and cardioprotective
biologic drugs we designed to increase vascular integrity and preserve cardiac tissue jeopardized by
reperfusion injury and low/no-re-flow. In a large animal (pig) model of acute MI with reperfusion, intracoronary
infusion of VasaPlex preserved 48 ± 12% of myocardial tissue at risk. We propose the following Specific Aims:
1. Determine effects of intracoronary treatment with VasaPlex or VasaPlex-F2 on cardiac structure
 and function 1 month after MI and PCI. Milestone: Obtain data for circulating biomarkers of cardiac
 injury, tissue histology, and echocardiographic measures of cardiac function that demonstrate
 significant long-term benefit conferred by VasaPlex and/or VasaPlex-F2-treatment in a pre-clinical,
 large animal model of MI with reperfusion.
 2. Develop standardized conditions to form and maintain VasaPlex-based products.
 Milestone: Obtain basic, foundational data for dissociation/association kinetics of our drug components
 and the effects of IgG Fc domain glycosylation; these data will help us to generate our products more
 efficiently, improve product safety, and support IND filing and product commercialization.
Deliverables: In alignment with the goals of the NIH STTR program, Samba BioLogics, Inc., will provide new,
innovative and effective products that improve patient survival, outcomes and quality of life after MI.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10382838
- **Project number:** 1R41HL162161-01
- **Recipient organization:** SAMBA BIOLOGICS INCORPORATED
- **Principal Investigator:** JEFFREY L SPEES
- **Activity code:** R41 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $498,271
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-03-11 → 2024-03-09

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10382838

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10382838, VasaPlex-based biologics for treatment of reperfusion injury after myocardial infarction (1R41HL162161-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-08 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10382838. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*