Pill to repair heart disease is just 5 years away, say scientists

SCIENTISTS hope that a pill to repair damaged hearts could be a reality in as little as five years, thanks to a major research programme involving experts in Scotland.

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has awarded 1 million to the Scottish Centre for Regenerative Medicine, based in Edinburgh, as part of the search for cures for heart failure.

The charity said that, while the number of Scots dying of heart disease had fallen, more were living with the condition.

Today, it is launching a 50m fundraising campaign to boost pioneering work on heart failure. Scientists are looking at both stem-cell research and biotechnology, which they hope to use to make damaged hearts as easy to repair as broken bones.

Researchers said the "Holy Grail" would be a pill, or injection, that could stimulate the heart to heal itself.

Research is already under way, focusing on fundamental mechanisms that allow the self-repair of hearts in zebra fish and amphibians.

Another approach targets rare stem cells - immature cells that develop into a variety of tissues - that can rebuild lost heart muscle.

The Scottish Centre for Regenerative Medicine, which opens later this year, is looking for new ways to harness stem cells to create such treatments.

According to BHF, the number of people dying from heart disease in Scotland has fallen from 19,209 in 1961, when the charity was founded, to 8,274 in 2009.

But as more people survive following heart attacks, more are living with the consequences of damage to their hearts.

BHF said in 1961 an estimated 9,000 Scots had heart failure, but this had risen to more than 72,000 - with predictions that number will rise further in future to epidemic proportions.

The Mending Broken Hearts appeal hopes to raise 50m over the next five years to spend on heart failure research. Heart failure, a severe loss of pumping power due to muscle damage, commonly follows a heart attack and can lead to severe disability and early death.

Professor Peter Weissberg, medical director at the BHF, said: "Since the BHF's inception 50 years ago, we've made great strides in medical research to better diagnose and treat people with all kinds of heart problems.But the biggest issue that still eludes us is how to help people once their heart has been damaged by a heart attack.

"Mending human hearts is an achievable goal scientifically, and we really could make recovering from a heart attack as simple as getting over a broken leg."

Prof Weissberg said the Scottish centre would provide lab space for 25 scientists working on heart research.

"Investing in facilities like this is vital, but we cannot support initiatives like this without donations from the public," he said.

Professor David Newby, of Edinburgh University's BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, said: "Research using stem cells opens up new opportunities to find ways to repair damage caused by heart failure.

"The dedicated laboratory space will enable experts in both regenerative medicine and in cardiovascular disease to work closely together, with the aim of translating their research into treatments that can help mend broken hearts."