Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.

University of Minnesota

Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.

Abbott Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.

Jeffrey Ross

Rodney W Salo

Julio Cesar Spinelli

Joseph M Pastore

Steven D Girouard

Andrew P Kramer

Tamara Colette Baynham

Allan Charles Shuros

Randy W Westlund

Eugene T Michal

Ronald W Heil, Jr

Helen L Reeve

Imad Libbus

Scott Thomas Mazar

Darrell Orvin Wagner

Abhi Chavan

Haris Sih

Morayma Reyes

Jihong Qu

Robert T Tranquillo

Cynthia Morrissey

Donald Palme

John Kim

Haris J Sih

A system and device are provided which include a gene regulatory system controlling expression of one or more expression cassettes present in or released by the device, by emitting one or more stimulations. An expression cassette includes a regulatable transcription control element that is responsive to the emitted stimulations linked to an open reading frame of interest. The system optionally includes a sensor to sense a parameter indicative of a need, a telemetry module to receive an external command, or a programmable device, for regulating gene expression of the open reading frame.

Method of using a lead to regulate protein expression

Methods, devices, kits and compositions to treat a myocardial infarction. In one embodiment, the method includes the prevention of remodeling of the infarct zone of the ventricle using a combination of therapies. The method may include the introduction of structurally reinforcing agents. In other embodiments, agents may be introduced into a ventricle to increase compliance of the ventricle. The prevention of remodeling may include the prevention of thinning of the ventricular infarct zone. Another embodiment includes the reversing or prevention of ventricular remodeling with electro-stimulatory therapy. The unloading of the stressed myocardium over time effects reversal of undesirable ventricular remodeling. These therapies may be combined with structurally reinforcing therapies. In other embodiments, the structurally reinforcing component may be accompanied by other therapeutic agents. These agents may include but are not limited to pro-fibroblastic and angiogenic agents.

Methods and compositions to treat myocardial conditions

Various system embodiments comprise a neural stimulator, a pulse generator, and a controller. The neural stimulator is adapted to generate a neural stimulation signal. The pulse generator is adapted to generate a pacing signal to provide myocardium pacing. The controller is adapted to control the neural stimulator and the pulse generator to provide a cardioprotective conditioning therapy. The conditioning therapy includes neural stimulation to elicit a parasympathetic response and myocardium pacing. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein.

Myocardium conditioning using myocardial and parasympathetic stimulation

All or a portion of a surface of an implantable sensor is covered with a biocompatible coating formed at least partially of a biomaterial matrix having properties that promote a substantially even growth of tissue cells over the surface of the coating. Additional materials, such as growth factors, agents that recruit endogenous stem cells, and cell adhesion motif arginine, glycine, aspartic acid may be included in the coating. Autologous cells may be added to the coating prior to implantation. The sensor surface may also be textured, by etching or abrading, in order to promote even tissue growth. Alternatively, the sensor surface may be covered with a coating having properties that inhibit the growth of tissue. These coatings may include a biomaterial, a biomaterial matrix having a drug, such as a sirolimus or a steroid, an active component, or a self assembled monolayer.

Implantable sensor with biocompatible coating for controlling or inhibiting tissue growth

A gene regulatory system detects ischemia events and is capable of delivering a biologic therapy in response to the detection of an ischemic event or the reception of a command. The biologic therapy protects the heart from ischemic damage by regulating the expression of an exogenously introduced gene product. In one embodiment, the gene regulatory system includes an implantable system that emits at least one gene regulatory signal in response to the detection of the ischemic event or the reception of the command. The gene regulatory signal directly or indirectly regulates gene expression of the gene product.

Method and apparatus for device controlled gene expression for cardiac protection

An implantable system which includes a gene/protein delivery device and a pulse generator, as well as method of preparing the gene/protein delivery device and using the system, are provided. In one embodiment, the implantable system detects a predetermined condition or event and, in response, delivers gene(s) and/or protein(s) in conjunction with delivering pacing and/or defibrillation pulses.

Method for preparing an implantable controlled gene or protein delivery device

The present invention relates to engineered blood vessels and methods of making such vessels using matrices comprising endothelial and smooth muscle cells, or cells capable of differentiating into endothelial and smooth muscle cell lineages (e.g., stem cells, or the progenitors thereof).

Engineered blood vessels

A cardiac rhythm management device is configured to deliver pre-excitation pacing to one or more sites in proximity to an infarcted region of the ventricular myocardium. The pre-excitation pacing in conjunction with counterpulsation therapy serves to either prevent or minimize post-infarct remodeling.

Method and apparatus for minimizing post-infarct ventricular remodeling

An epicardial patch includes an extracellular matrix (ECM) and a plurality of electrodes. The isolated ECM is configured for epicardial attachment over a myocardial region including an injured area to control post-injury remodeling of the myocardial region. The plurality of electrodes is configured for delivering electrical stimulation to enhance the effect of the isolated ECM in remodeling control by altering workload and stress on the myocardial region.

Epicardial patch including isolated extracellular matrix with pacing electrodes

A drug delivery system detects a cardiac condition indicative of a need for increasing a cardiac metabolic level and, in response, releases a drug into tissue or blood to shift a source of metabolically synthesized energy fueling cardiac contraction from fatty acid to glucose. One example of such a system includes an implantable device detecting an ischemia and a transdermal drug delivery device delivering a drug when an ischemic condition is detected. Another example of such a system includes one or more implantable devices detecting a predefined change in cardiac metabolic level and delivering a drug when the change is detected. Such systems are applied to treat, for example, patients suffering ischemia and/or heart failure and patients having suffered myocardial infarction.

Method and apparatus for modulating cellular metabolism during post-ischemia or heart failure

Implantable devices containing extracellular matrix and methods of using the devices are provided.

Lead electrode incorporating extracellular matrix

A gene regulatory system controls gene therapy by emitting one or more forms of energy that regulate gene expression by triggering promoters. The system includes a sensor to sense a signal indicative of a need for the gene therapy as well as responses to the gene therapy. The regulation of the gene expression is controlled based on the sensed signal and/or a user command. In one embodiment, the system delivers one or more electrical therapies in conjunction with the gene therapy.

Method and apparatus for device controlled gene expression

A system delivers combined ventricular assist device (VAD) therapy and chemical and/or biological therapy to modulate myocardial tissue growth in a heart after myocardial infarction (MI). The system includes an agent delivery device to release one or more agents to an MI region to modulate myocardial tissue growth in that region, and a VAD to enhance the effects of the one or more agents by reducing myocardial wall stress and the overall cardiac workload. In one embodiment, the system is an implantable system including an implantable agent delivery device and an implantable VAD for long-term use in a patient.

Method and apparatus for modulating cellular growth and regeneration using ventricular assist device

A system delivers cardiac pacing therapy and chemical and/or biological therapy to modulate myocardial tissue growth in a heart after myocardial infarction (MI). The system includes an agent delivery device to release one or more agents to an MI region to modulate myocardial tissue growth in that region, and a cardiac rhythm management (CRM) device to deliver pacing pulses to enhance the effects of the one or more agents by altering myocardial wall stress and cardiac workload. In one embodiment, the system is an implantable system including an implantable agent delivery device and an implantable CRM device.

Growing community of inventors

Roseville, MN, United States of America

Jeffrey Ross