Part of The Solution: To Patch A Failing Heart

The biotech company Repairon has developed an innovative form of therapy for the treatment of heart failure. Find out how Sartorius and its Göttingen-based neighbor are "in this together," exploring the full potential for commercial production and paving the way for groundbreaking therapeutic applications in the life sciences.

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Shortly after birth, our heart muscle cells lose their ability to divide. This means that damage such as a heart attack leads to an irreversible loss of these cells. As a result, the heart's ability to pump effectively decreases, which can lead to cardiac insufficiency, also known as heart failure.

Heart failure affects an estimated 40 to 60 million individuals globally. They often suffer from shortness of breath, edema, and fatigue; the mortality rate is high. While medications and surgical procedures can mitigate symptoms, the condition remains incurable.

The problem: lost heart muscle cells cannot be restored. Sartorius’ partner Repairon is working on a therapy that directly targets this challenge.

The Idea: Heart Tissue From the Lab

For over two decades, the Repairon team has been researching to develop the so-called heart patch. It consists of new heart tissue, which is artificially grown from stem cells in the lab and then sewn onto special membranes that are compatible with the body. A surgeon can implant the patch, which is several square centimeters in size, onto the patient’s damaged heart tissue. The goal of the patch is to strengthen the heart muscle and permanently improve its pumping capacity.

A Collaborative Effort for a Cure: Sartorius Is Part of the Solution

It’s a highly complex process to produce the stem cells for the heart patches in the required quantities. It is, however, a crucial step to get closer to bringing them to market. Sartorius is providing expertise and support to Repairon in establishing industrial-scale patch production. Sartorius technologies, including bioreactor systems, cytokines, as well as freezing media, are integral to the process.

The project is a great example of how scientific findings from the life sciences can be translated into therapeutic applications.

Dr. Sven Wagner, Head of Business Development

Promising Results

The heart patch has already passed its first qualitative test. Within phase I of clinical trials, the maximum safe dosage of heart muscle cells per patch was determined in ten patients. The next phase aims to treat a higher number of patients.

The ongoing development and the encouraging results of the clinical trials give hope that the heart patch could pave a new way of treatment in the future and significantly improve the quality of life of those affected. “We are eager to continue our partnership with Repairon on this transformative project,” Sven remarks. “Plans for an even more collaborative future are already underway.”