Tokyo, Japan, April 9, 2024 - On April 5, 2024, Heartseed Inc. (CEO: Keiichi Fukuda), a leader in iPSC-based cardiomyocyte replacement therapies, had the honor of hosting Massimiliano Gnecchi (MD, PhD, FESC), Professor of Cardiology at the University of Pavia and Chief of the Translational Cardiology Unit at the IRCCS Policlinico, San Matteo Hospital, Pavia, Italy. Prof. Gnecchi, a luminary in the field of translational cardiology with an illustrious career punctuated by significant stints at Harvard and Duke, has seamlessly bridged the gap between basic and clinical research in heart disease, earning him global recognition.

As past President Europe of the International Society of Cell and Gene Therapy (ISCT), Prof. Gnecchi's work has been instrumental in advancing cellular and molecular therapies for heart disease. Prof. Gnecchi's influence extends to his upcoming role as Chair of the European Society of Cardiology's Working Group on Cardiovascular Regenerative and Reparative Medicine (CARE), highlighting his leadership and forward-thinking in the field of cell and molecular therapies for cardiac disease.

In his discussions, Prof. Gnecchi emphasized, "While the paracrine effects mediated by the cell secretome may be beneficial in the acute and sub-acute phases of myocardial infarction (MI), they might not suffice in heart failure cases that have progressed post-MI. Cardiomyocyte transplantation, exactly what Heartseed is pioneering, will be a promising approach in such instances." He further commented, "The results thus far are impressive, and I hope Heartseed can conclude the trial soon with positive results.

Keiichi Fukuda, CEO of Heartseed and Professor Emeritus at Keio University, shared his thoughts: "Hosting Prof. Gnecchi has been an enriching experience for our team. His profound contributions to the field have provided us with invaluable perspectives that will undoubtedly shape our path forward." He also expressed personal admiration for Albert Einstein and Leonardo da Vinci, noting the serendipitous connection to Pavia, Italy, where both historical figures have ties, and how this coincidence brings him joy, as reflected by their portraits in his office.

Heartseed Inc. remains dedicated to leading the charge in iPSC-based cardiac regeneration, inspired by the collaborative spirit and innovative insights shared by esteemed experts like Prof. G­necc­hi.

About Heartseed

Heartseed Inc. was founded in 2015 to develop and commercialize cardiac remuscularization therapy developed by Professor Keiichi Fukuda and his group at the Department of Cardiology, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan. Heartseed has proprietary technologies throughout the entire manufacturing process of the cardiomyocyte-cell product, including purification, cell delivery and iPSC production.

Heartseed announced the global collaboration and license agreement with Novo Nordisk A/S for HS-001 in June 2021. Heartseed received "Minister of Science and Technology Policy Award" at Japan Venture Awards 2021 and "Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award" at Academic Startups 2021, and "Most Promising Pipelines Awards (iPSC)" at Asia Pacific Cell & Gene Therapy Excellence Awards 2022. For more information, visit heartseed.jp, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Contact:
Kikuo Yasui,
COO, Heartseed Inc.
Tel: +81-3-6380-1068
Email: kikuo.yasui@heartseed.jp