• Dr. Beatriz Pelacho Samper, scientific coordinator of the initiative, presented the innovative solutions of the project for patients that have suffered a myocardial infarction at the 3rd transnational research congress of FHU IMPACT, held in Toulouse the 26th of November
• During the event, Dr. Anne Catherine Prats presented the research work of the CARDIOPATCH’s partner CHU Toulouse on 2nd Work Package, which is focused on increasing the capacities of the cells that will be implanted in the cellularised patch

CARDIOPATCH Project’s main progresses on the treatment of cardiovascular diseases were shown in Toulouse in the framework of the 3rd translational research congress of the University Hospital Federation (FHU) Innovative Medicine for the Prevention And treatment of Cardiovascular and metabolic diseases (IMPACT), which was held the 26th of November at the Hôtel de Région Toulouse Occitanie.

The congress brought together experts in the field who are working on solutions to improve the management and quality of life of patients suffering from cardiac and metabolic diseases such as heart failure, diabetes or chronic inflammatory bowel disease.  It was organised by the Cardiology and Metabolism Institute (CardioMet) of the partner Toulouse University Hospital (CHU).

In addition, the scientific coordinator of CARDIOPATCH, Dr Beatriz Pelacho Samper presented the objectives and progress of the initiative co-funded by the Interreg Sudoe Programme through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF): the cellularised or non-cellularised patch for patients that have suffered a myocardial infarction, the 3D printing system for the transportation of the patch, as well as the production of the patch by 3D printing and the device for non-invasive implementation on the heart. 

During the event, a session was dedicated to cardiovascular diseases, moderated by Prof Jérôme Roncalli, leader of the 2nd Work Package of CARDIOPATCH, and Dr Anne Catherine Prats, Research Director at INSERM.

In her intervention, Catherine Prats presented the research work of the CHU Toulouse team and INSERM during CARDIOPATCH. This work focuses on increasing the capacities of the cells that will be implanted in the cellularised patch, by genetic transfer of two to three genes involved in the control of inflammation and cardiac regeneration. The Doctor explained that several genes have been identified for integration into an HIV-like lentiviral vector. The vectors produced were tested on adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (ADSCs) in order to validate this gene transfer step and to functionally characterize the capabilities acquired by these cells in vitro.

“These results show that it is possible with these constructs to express these factors after gene transfer in this cell type, and that they have a biological effect in in vitro vascularization tests”, said Catherine Prats.

The next step of her team is to provide other CARDIOPATCH partners with the modified ADSCs, so that these modified cells can be produced in a bioreactor and used to test their therapeutic benefit after patch implantation in animal models of cardiac ischemia.

The FHU IMPACT congress was co-directed by Profs. Pierre Gourdy and Jérôme Roncalli. During the event, the different research teams presented their translational research projects as well as new therapeutic approaches to treat cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.

Led by Clínica Universidad de Navarra (CUN), CARDIOPATCH 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.