Injectable extracellular matrix derived hydrogel for cardiac repair

Injectable materials present the exciting opportunity of minimally invasive therapy to prevent heart failure by providing a temporary scaffold to replace the damaged extracellular matrix (ECM) that occurs post‐myocardial infarction (MI). To date, no material appropriately mimics the ECM composition and structure and most have failed to translate to catheter‐based delivery. We have developed an injectable form of myocardial ECM that retains native proteins, peptides, and polysaccharides, and self‐assembles into a nanofibrous gel upon injection into the myocardium. We have recently demonstrated that this injectable myocardial matrix preserves left ventricular (LV) volume and cardiac function post‐ MI in a rat model, as well as increases post‐MI endogenous cardiomyocyte survival. We have also shown that the myocardial matrix can be delivered via a percutaneous transendocardial approach using the NOGA guided Myostar catheter and improves LV volume and cardiac function in a porcine MI model. This acellular scaffold has the potential to be an effective minimally invasive treatment for MI and heart failure, providing the appropriate extracellular environment to replace the damaged ECM. The material has also been shown to increase maturation of human embryonic stem cell derived cardiomyocytes, and thus also has potential as a scaffold for cell‐based cardiac tissue engineering.