• The initiative’s partners gathered together the 26th of January for the 3rd Scientific Meeting of the project and discussed the latest developments on their Work Packages
• CARDIOPATCH aims to create an innovative patch for patients that have suffered a myocardial infarction

The project CARDIOPATCH, co-funded by the Interreg Sudoe Programme through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), keeps going on and advancing in the scientific topics that surround its main goal: the design and validation of an innovative patch based on regenerative medicine and 3D printing technologies for patients that have suffered a myocardial infarction. 

The members of the initiative’s consortium gathered together online the 26th of January to give an update on their Work Packages and discuss the different procedures that are being developed to increase the therapeutic potential of the patch. 

During the virtual session each Work Package leader explained the most recent activities performed as well as the calendar to implement the WP’s deliverables and next steps in the upcoming 3 months. 

At first, Dr. Lina Badimon, from the partner FIRHSCSP, analyzed the WP1 and the potential of ADSC through their preconditioning with hypoxia and miRNA-based approaches to increase the therapeutic proangiogenic of the patch. 

Then, researcher Maxime Fayel, from CHUT, gave an update on WP2, how to increase the therapeutic cardioprotective and the pro-angiogenic potential of ADSC through gene therapy.  

In addition, Dr. Margarida Serra and the researcher Marta Costa, both from IBET, gave an explanation of their advances on the standardized production and characterization of the different types of therapy products for cardiac regenerative medicine that will be designed in CARDIOPATCH: a stem-cell smart patch able to regenerate tissues damaged by infarction or a roll-up 3D device, which will allow the patch implantation in the heart through less invasive methods. 

On the other hand, Eloise Keignard from IBMM updated the latest advances on the functionalization of the collagen membrane of the patch with protein factors involved in cardioprotection and angiogenesis. 

Dr. Beatriz Pelacho, scientific coordinator of the project, represented CIMA and explained the latest steps done in the WP6 and WP7 in order to determine the therapeutic potential of the cellularized and/or functionalized patches to select the best product for preclinical testing. 

Finally, LEARTIKER’s experts Mikel Garmendia and Uzuri Urtaza updated the partner’s progress on the development of new rolling collagen scaffolds for heart implantation by mini-thoracotomy and a 3D system for the production and transport of the cellularized patch. 

Led by Clínica Universidad de Navarra (CUN), CARDIOPATCH project includes partners from Spain, France and Portugal: CIMA Universidad de Navarra, via the Foundation for Applied Medical Research, Leartiker Technology Center, Institut de Recerca de l’Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, communication agency GUK, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse, the University of Montpellier (UM) - Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron (IBMM), GenIbet Biopharmaceuticals and the Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica.