The regenerative therapy concept of Recardio with its DPP-IV inhibitor dutogliptin is subject to a licence agreement concluded in 2012 between BayPAT and Recardio and is based on an invention originating from Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich.
The clinical study is intended to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Recardio’s lead candidate dutogliptin to restore lost myocardial function in patients who experience STEMI, a severe form of heart attack, and receive percutaneous coronary intervention with stent placement. Specialized cardiology centers located throughout Europe and USA have enrolled patients and are meanwhile actively recruiting. Roman Schenk, Recardio’s founder and Chairman, remarked that the enrollment of all planned 140 patients will proceed until early 2020 and outcomes will be available shortly afterwards.
The regenerative therapeutic approach of Recardio to minimize and repair the heart muscle injury that follows an infarction consists of mobilizing, recruiting, and homing stem cells in vivo by using cytokines and inhibitors. Specifically, the growth of stem cells and improvement of cardiac function is achieved by the mobilization of stem cells from the bone marrow using G-CSF. The mobilized stem cells enter the bloodstream and are directed to the site of myocardial injury by dutogliptin. Dutogliptin is a small molecule inhibitor of dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP4). It is responsible for the activation of stromal derived factor-1α (SDF-1α), a cytokine responsible for the binding of circulating stem cells in the area of ischemic injury.
“We are very happy that BayPAT was able to partner with a competent company such as Recardio, to bring this innovative therapeutic approach into the clinic and thus making a valuable contribution to achieve significant progress in the field of treatment of myocardial infarction.” said Dr. Robert Phelps, BayPAT’s Chief Executive Officer.
More information about the clinical program is available by visiting the “clinicaltrials.gov” website at the following link: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03486080
About Recardio
Recardio Inc. is a clinical-stage life science company focusing on regenerative therapies for cardiovascular diseases. The company’s lead drug candidate, dutogliptin, is a DPP-IV inhibitor that has demonstrated significant effects in activating SDF-1, a protein that is critical for cardiac regeneration. In addition to its current Phase 2 clinical program, Recardio will fully develop the therapeutic platform as a regenerative medication for patients with various cardiovascular diseases including acute myocardial infarction and chronic heart failure, with the potential of improving heart function, quality of life and survival. For more information, visit: http://www.recardio.eu/