# Cardiac Patches Loaded with Stem Cell Factors to Treat Heart Failure

> **NIH NIH R01** · COLUMBIA UNIV NEW YORK MORNINGSIDE · 2022 · $310,467

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
 Stem cell therapy represents a promising strategy in regenerative medicine. However, live
cells need to be carefully preserved and processed before usage. In addition, cell transplantation
carries certain immunogenicity and/or tumorigenicity risks. The development of cell-free and non-
living therapeutics derived from stem cells has the potential to revolutionize current regenerative
medicine practice. Mounting lines of evidences indicate that stem cells exert their beneficial effects
mainly through the secretion of pro-regenerative factors. Based on this, we fabricated “synthetic
cardiac stem cells (synCSCs)” by encapsulating cardiac stem cell-secreted factors in a biodegradable
polymer block. In a mouse model of myocardial infarction (MI), intramyocardial injection of synCSCs
led to preservation of viable myocardium and augmentation of cardiac functions similar to real CSC
therapy in immunodeficiency mice with myocardial infarction by permanent vessel ligation. Despite
the successful proof of concept, a big challenge is the effective delivery of synthetic cells to the heart.
The present proposal represents a logic progression from our previous work. Here we will be
developing and testing a new entity: an artificial cardiac patch (artCP) formed by embedding
synCSCs into decellularized myocardial extracellular matrix (ECM). Our studies will extend from the
previous rodent acute MI model to a chronic heart failure model in both small/large animals. The
overarching hypothesis is that artCPs can further improve the efficacy of synCSC therapy in rats and
pigs with chronic heart injury. Aim 1 is to fabricate artCPs and determine in vitro potency. Aim 2 is to
demine the safety and efficacy of artCP therapy in a rat model of chronic infarct. Aim 3 is to translate
the findings into a clinically relevant porcine model of advanced cardiomyopathy. Our study will form
the foundation for an innovative and “off the shelf” therapy based on stem cell factors and
myocardium ECM. The cell-free nature of our approach is more readily translatable to the clinic.
Although this particular grant application targets the heart and cardiac stem cells, our approach
represents a platform technology that can be applied to the creation of multiple types of synthetic
stem cell and ECMs for the repair of various other organs.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10977210
- **Project number:** 7R01HL147357-05
- **Recipient organization:** COLUMBIA UNIV NEW YORK MORNINGSIDE
- **Principal Investigator:** Ke Cheng
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $310,467
- **Award type:** 7
- **Project period:** 2019-09-01 → 2024-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10977210

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10977210, Cardiac Patches Loaded with Stem Cell Factors to Treat Heart Failure (7R01HL147357-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10977210. Licensed CC0.

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