IP Requirement: Forge Frontier Labs IP
Experience Requirement:
– Mechanical Design
– Wet Lab Experience
– Rapid Prototyping
Problem Description
Cardiac tissue damage caused by heart attacks or prolonged oxygen deprivation can lead to severe and often fatal complications, including heart failure—where the damaged heart can no longer pump blood efficiently to meet the body’s needs; arrhythmias—irregular heart rhythms that disrupt pumping ability and may result in cardiac arrest and death; and cardiogenic shock—a critical form of heart failure where the heart cannot maintain adequate blood flow to sustain life. Current treatments focus on managing symptoms or preventing further deterioration, but there are no technologies capable of directly repairing the damaged tissue without surgery. Regenerative approaches such as stem cell therapy are limited by invasive delivery methods and the inability to selectively target injured areas of the heart.
The researcher has proposed a non-surgical solution through the introduction of intravenously delivered nanoparticles that circulate through the bloodstream and bind only to damaged cardiac tissue. These particles, coated with targeting fragments that recognize proteins exposed in injured areas, would remain anchored at the site and release regenerative agents—such as growth factors or stem cell-derived vesicles—over a sustained period. It is anticipated that the researchers will develop a system capable of precise targeting and controlled therapeutic release in the period immediately following a damaging cardiac event, thereby maximizing healing potential and reducing long-term complications.
This will be the first system of its kind to provide targeted regenerative treatment to damaged heart tissue without the need for surgery. If successful, CardioSculpt has the potential to significantly reduce the risk of recurrent cardiac events, improve survival rates, and lower the long-term burden of heart failure. It could also shift the treatment paradigm from late-stage symptom management to early, proactive restoration of cardiac function, offering a new standard of care for patients recovering from heart injury.
