Intramyocardial injection of allogeneic human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes in advanced ischemic heart failure: an early-stage randomized trial.
Allogeneic human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes injected into the myocardium during CABG met the safety primary endpoint in the HEAL-CHF trial (n = 20): no sustained ventricular tachycardia in the 1- to 6-month window and no tumorigenicity at 12 months. All 10 cell-treated patients developed accelerated idioventricular rhythm within 4 weeks, and 2 had ventricular tachycardia over 140 bpm that resolved after cardioversion. Cell therapy improved 6-min walk distance, myocardial perfusion and relative wall thickening beyond CABG alone, but not ejection fraction, ventricular volumes, scar size, NYHA class or quality-of-life scores.
Why it matters: First randomized evidence on safety and early efficacy of allogeneic hiPSC-derived cardiomyocyte injection in ischemic heart failure.