Gene therapy to protect vein grafts after bypass surgery
Official title: Vascular-targeted Atheroprotective Gene therapies to Prevent Vein Graft Failure
Funded at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center · NIH-11293427 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Testing a gene therapy meant to help veins used in bypass operations stay open longer for people with coronary or peripheral artery disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | May 25, 2024 |
| Project end | February 28, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $734,244 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL173557-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11293427 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be adults scheduled to receive autologous vein grafts during coronary artery bypass or lower-extremity bypass surgery who can consent to participate.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not receiving vein grafts, already have failed grafts, or who cannot receive gene therapy for medical reasons would not be expected to benefit from this work.
What this research studies
This project uses a protective gene called A20 delivered directly to vein grafts to reduce inflammation, speed healing, and limit the scarring that causes graft narrowing. Researchers will deliver the gene using viral vectors and study how treated grafts heal compared with untreated ones. The work builds on earlier animal studies and a large-animal pilot that suggested benefit and will collect detailed measures of vessel healing, inflammation, and graft patency. If results are good, the approach could move toward testing in people undergoing bypass surgery.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the therapy could lower the chance that vein grafts close off, reducing repeat procedures and complications after bypass surgery.
How similar studies have gone: Prior small-animal studies and a large-animal pilot using the A20 gene showed promising protection against graft failure, but there is little or no human data yet.
Where this research is happening
-
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ferran, Christiane — Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Ferran, Christiane
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Targeted NAD+ Replenishment to Protect Vein Grafts After Bypass
Aims to protect vein grafts used in bypass surgery by delivering NAD+ directly to vascular cells to reduce failure from aging and injury.
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Targeted gene therapy to protect prosthetic leg bypass grafts
This project uses targeted gene-silencing treatments to prevent narrowing and failure of synthetic bypass grafts in people with blocked leg arteries.
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Improving vein graft success after heart bypass surgery
This project uses computer models to design better ways to prevent vein grafts from failing after coronary artery bypass surgery.
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Gene therapies to prevent vein graft failure in heart and leg surgeries
This study is looking at a new way to help improve the success of vein grafts used in heart and leg surgeries, especially for people with coronary artery disease and peripheral arterial disease, by using a special gene therapy that could help keep the grafts healthy and working better for longer.
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Understanding why transplanted hearts fail over time
This study is looking at how heart transplants can sometimes fail over time, especially when the heart muscle gets too thick, and it aims to understand the different types of cells involved in this process to help improve the health and longevity of transplanted hearts for patients.
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Gene therapies to prevent failure of prosthetic bypass grafts
This study is looking at a new way to help people with severe leg artery blockages by using a special treatment to improve the success of prosthetic grafts, which can sometimes fail and lead to serious problems like losing a limb.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.