Interruption of blood flow (ischemia) can cause life-threatening heart attacks or strokes and irreparable damage to organ transplants. A study conducted at the University of Gdansk, Poland, found that RNS60 treatment protected hearts in experimental models of heart attack and transplant preservation.
In the heart attack model, mice treated with RNS60 had significantly improved ECGs and lower serum levels of markers of heart damage when compared to placebo-treated mice. In a rat transplant preservation model, RNS60 or placebo were added to the cardioplegic solution used to preserve hearts before they are transplanted. Hearts stored in the RNS60-containing solution retained a significantly better ability to contract and produced higher levels of ATP and phosphocreatine, suggesting improved bioenergetics and function.
The new data add to those from earlier studies showing significantly reduced heart damage in RNS60-treated pigs with myocardial infarction.1 Together, the findings support the rationale for developing RNS60 as a treatment for heart attack or stroke, as well as a possible application in transplant preservation. RNS60 is currently in clinical testing as a treatment for ischemic stroke.2
Link to the article: Beneficial Effects of RNS60 in Cardiac Ischemic Injury | PubMed
1 Kalmes, A.; Ghosh, S.; Watson, R. A Saline-Based Therapeutic Containing Charge-Stabilized Nanostructures Protects Against Cardiac Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury; JACC 2013, Volume 61, Issue 10, Supplement
2 Safety of RNS60 in Large Vessel Occlusion Stroke Patients Undergoing Endovascular Thrombectomy (RESCUE), https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04693715
