LOUISVILLE, Ky. — According to CDC reports, as of May 2024, nearly 6.7 million adults in the United States over the age of 20 have heart failure (HF). While there are many heart medications, The University of Louisville is looking for a different way to manage it.

What You Need To Know

  • Nearly 6.7 million adults in the United States over the age of 20 have heart failure 

  • The University of Louisville is part of a multicenter trial using adult stem cells derived from donated umbilical cords 
  • This is first  trial in U.S. to test this therapy and IV delivery for heart failure
  • Intravenous stem cells in heart failure will be simpler, less expensive, safer, and does not require hospitalization       

In 1990, Louis Meier suffered a heart attack. The next year he had open-heart surgery with four bypasses. Since then, he has been trying to take care of his heart.

“Once you’ve had a heart attack, your heart deteriorates over a period of years,” said Meier.

Meier said he has been following stem cell therapies for a few years. So when the multicenter trial of adult stem cells became available, Meier knew he had to be a part of it.

“I read a lot of stuff on stem cells and been seeing a lot of things on the news about it and knew that maybe this was my only chance to be here for a while,” said Meier.

Dr. Roberto Bolli, UofL professor of medicine, director of the UofL Institute of Molecular Cardiology, and a UofL Health Cardiologist, said heart failure is a major public health problem in the United States. 

“We have medications which help patients with heart failure. But despite those medications, the overall prognosis remains fairly bleak, with a mortality of approximately 50% at five years, which is worse than many cancers. So there is clearly an unmet need for new treatments for heart failure,” said Bolli.

It is an innovative trial and the first to test intravenous stem cells in heart failure.

“The intravenous route is much simpler. Less expensive, less, of course, is much safer than the trans endocarditis injection and is available to everybody can be done in any, outpatient clinic does not require hospitalization,” added Bolli.

Dr. Bolli said having a treatment like this is a significant change and would benefit potentially millions of Americans. They get five to 10 times more cells growing from umbilical cords than from bone marrow.

Meier has high hopes for this trial and is excited to be part of it.

Meier said, “I feel very grateful. Really. So glad that, there’s people like Doctor Bolli that, will take their time to get the funds and so forth, and knows what they’re doing and can get something like this started for people has helped so many people in the past, and I know it’s going to be better in the future.”

The study is in phase two of three with 60 patients. Dr. Bolli and his team are seeking heart failure candidates to be a part of this trial, and if you or someone you know is interested, you can email Dr. Bolli.

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