We performed studies in patients with stable (n=40) and unstable (n=40) angina and healthy controls (n=20), in vitro studies in T-cells and macrophages, and studies in apolipoprotein-E-deficient (ApoE-/-) mice and human atherosclerotic carotid plaques.
This phase I open label, dose-escalating study shows that gene transfer of vascular endothelial growth factor-2 naked deoxyribonucleic acid by direct myocardial injection by way of thoracotomy in patients with Canadian Cardiovascular Society class 3 or 4 angina is feasible and safe.
Furthermore, VEGF gene therapy using adenoviral vectors showed more potential benefit in terms of the risk of serious cardiac events, ΔLVEF, and Canadian Cardiovascular Society angina class.
Transthoracic intramyocardial injection of VEGF-2 is associated with an improvement of symptoms of angina in the majority of patients beyond the first year of treatment.