Reactivating a fetal gene enables adult heart cells to regenerate after injury

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I’ve published on very similar findings before, using cell cycle reactivation to promote cardiomyocyte proflieration, both in vitro and in vivo. It’s cool and important research, but:

Cell cycle reactivation is not a new approach. It’s been around for a long time (so don’t get your hopes up, basically)

Translational value is unclear - I.e. how exactly are you going to do this in a 55yo patient who has a MI? In all likelihood, you’re not going to be using viruses to deliver genes into peoples hearts. So we need small molecules to hit those same pathways, or more “accessible” methods for delivering the genes. Even then, the barriers to gene therapy are massive. Trying to get cardiac-specific expression is challenging. You have to mass manufacture this thing and have QC/CQAs, which get exponentially more difficult as the treatment becomes more complex. And it has to be patentable/commercialisable/profitable.

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