Moderna’s mRNA Therapeutic Helps Patients With Heart Failure

Moderna recently announced that its mRNA therapeutic for heart failure patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery met its primary endpoint in a Phase 2 study. 

The EPICCURE study, led by AstraZeneca, evaluated the mRNA therapeutic in patients undergoing CABG. In the study, 11 patients were treated with AZD8601 VEGF-A mRNA and four received placebo injections.

AZD8601 VEG-A elicits the cellular machinery to produce necessary proteins. Specifically, the therapeutic delivers genetic instructions to spur the production of the paracrine factor vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A). 

In the study, researchers found an increase in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). And all seven patients treated with the therapeutic had NT-proBNP levels below heart failure (HF) limit at six months follow-up compared to one of four patients who received placebo. 

“mRNA is a compelling therapeutic modality because of its ability to act locally and transiently, while driving dose-dependent protein expression,” Stéphane Bancel, chief executive officer of Moderna, said in the announcement. 

“The results presented today are a result of pushing new boundaries in the treatment of cardiovascular and other ischemic vascular diseases to address serious unmet needs with the goal of improving patients’ lives,” Bancel continued. 

Coronary artery disease is caused by blockages in the main coronary arteries, resulting in insufficient blood flow to the myocardium and the primary cause of ischemic heart failure, a Moderna spokesperson explained.

Heart failure affects nearly 40 million adults globally and is estimated to increase by 46 percent in the next decade. But gene editing has the potential to prevent and treat chronic diseases.

Last week, Moderna and Metagenomi entered a strategic research and development collaboration to advance new gene-editing systems for in vivo human therapeutic applications.

The companies will utilize Metagenomi’s gene-editing tools and leverage Moderna’s mRNA platform and lipid nanoparticle (LNP) delivery technologies to develop curative therapies for patients with serious genetic conditions, including heart disease.