UT Southwestern Study Shows Promise in Heart Failure Treatment with FDA-Approved Drug Combination

Hesham Sadek, MD, PhD

UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have uncovered a potential breakthrough for heart failure treatment. Their study, published in Nature Cardiovascular Research, reveals that a combination of FDA-approved drugs, paromomycin (Paro) and neomycin (Neo), could revive the heart's regenerative capacity. By targeting specific proteins that inhibit heart muscle regeneration, these medications improved cardiac function and reduced scar formation in animal models.

Lead researcher Dr. Hesham Sadek highlights the promise of pharmacological interventions to stimulate heart muscle replication and promote regeneration. Paro and Neo, traditionally used for infections, emerged from a screening process for repurposing existing drugs, offering hope for future heart failure therapies.