Single saRNA Injection Delivers Weeks of Heart-Protective Hormone After Heart Attack
A peer-reviewed Science study reports durable benefits in animal models and outlines preclinical safety and dosing work before human testing.
Overview
- A one-time intramuscular dose of self-amplifying RNA prompted sustained production of atrial natriuretic peptide for several weeks.
- The saRNA, packaged in lipid nanoparticles and encoding Nppa, turned skeletal muscle into a temporary source of circulating ANP precursor activated in the heart by corin.
- In mouse models of myocardial infarction and ischemia-reperfusion injury, treatment improved ejection fraction, reduced infarct size, and limited fibrosis, including in aged, atherosclerotic, and diabetic animals.
- A single dose also preserved function and curbed maladaptive remodeling in a swine ischemia-reperfusion model.
- The multi-institutional team from Texas A&M, Columbia, and Oxford built on prior microneedle patch findings implicating NPR1 signaling and will now assess safety, dosing, and timing before clinical trials.