DREAM-HF trial results highlight Mesoblast’s potential to differentiate in HF space: GlobalData

Mesoblast recently announced positive Phase III trial results in the European Journal of heart failure. The use of Revascor (rexlemestrocel-L) improved survival and reduced major morbidity in high-risk patients with ischemic heart failure (HF) and inflammation. This study could be of high clinical value to cardiologists who are seeking an optimal treatment of choice for HF patients, which highlights that Mesoblast holds potential to differentiate in HF, says GlobalData.

Kajal Jaddoo, Senior Pharma Analyst at GlobalData, comments, “Currently, the majority of marketed and pipeline drugs simply slow the progression of the disease, reduce mortality, and reduce HF hospitalizations. The ideal therapy must demonstrate regenerative potential, repairing cardiac damage and reversing disease progression. However, regenerative therapies come with high price tags and may struggle to gain market share against substantially cheaper, generic drugs.”

Results from the DREAM-HF trial showed that Revascor reduced cardiovascular mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events and improved left ventricular function in high-risk HF patients. Over a mean follow-up of 30 months in the study, a single intramyocardial injection of Revascor resulted in a sustained reduction in cardiovascular mortality in high-risk HF patients.

Additionally, a single intra-myocardial injection significantly lowered the risk of cardiovascular death in HF patients with reduced ejection fraction with inflammation. The treatment also demonstrated a reduction in the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and recurrent hospitalizations.

Jaddoo adds, “Key opinion leaders (KOLs) interviewed by GlobalData emphasized that mesenchymal cells are very promising, and the use of cells for the regeneration of the myocardium, to reverse the cardiac remodeling, is very promising for the long term and offers a new treatment approach.”

Mesoblast is a regenerative medicine company that develops regenerative cell-based products. In July 2018, the company completed a transaction with Tasly Pharmaceutical Group for the development, manufacture, and commercialization in China of its allogeneic mesenchymal precursor cell products, Revascor for chronic HF, and MPC-25-IC for acute myocardial infarction. Both companies plan to leverage each other’s clinical trial results to support regulatory submissions.

Jaddoo concludes, “The stem cell pipeline for cardiovascular conditions sees lower investment from the larger pharmaceutical industry and is mainly developed by smaller biotech companies, compared to areas such as diabetes where big pharma investment is common.”