Cork trial shows protein can repair heart muscles

An insulin-related protein sometimes abused by body-builders, but which treats congenital dwarfism, can repair heart muscles following a heart attack.

The benefit of injecting a low dose of growth factor IGF1 straight into the heart has been demonstrated by a Cork researchers. The trial is the first of its kind in the world.

“We identified a new, really low dose of IGF1 that acted like a stem cell and that was effective in causing repair of the heart,” said Prof Noel Caplice, chair of cardiovascular sciences at University College Cork (UCC).