St. Elizabeth's Medical Center of Boston, Inc.

Caritas St. Elizabeth's Medical Center of Boston, Inc.

Steward St. Elizabeth's Medical Center of Boston, Inc.

Genesys Research Institution Inc.

Takayuki Asahara

Jeffrey M Isner

Douglas W Losordo

Linda Isner, Legal Representative

In accordance with the present invention, EC progenitors can be used in a method for regulating angiogenesis, i.e., enhancing or inhibiting blood vessel formation, in a selected patient and in some preferred embodiments for targeting specific locations. For example, the EC progenitors can be used to enhance angiogenesis or to deliver an angiogenesis modulator, e.g. anti- or pro-angiogenic agents, respectively to sites of pathologic or utilitarian angiogenesis. Additionally, in another embodiment, EC progenitors can be used to induce reendothelialization of an injured blood vessel, and thus reduce restenosis by indirectly inhibiting smooth muscle cell proliferation.

Compositions and methods for regulating angiogenesis

The present invention generally provides methods for modulating formation of new blood vessels. In one embodiment, the methods include administering to a mammal an effective amount of granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) sufficient to form the new blood vessels. Additionally provided are methods for preventing or reducing the severity of blood vessel damage in a mammal which methods preferably include administering to the mammal an effective amount of GM-CSF. Provided also as part of this invention are pharmaceutical products and kits for inducing formation of new blood vessels in the mammal.

Compositions and methods for modulating vascularization

Pharmaceutical products are provided comprising EC progenitors for use in methods for regulating angiogenesis, i.e., for enhancing or inhibiting blood vessel formation, in a selected patient and in some preferred embodiments for targeting an angiogenesis modulator to specific locations. For example, the EC progenitors can be used to enhance angiogenesis or to deliver an angiogenesis modulator, e.g., anti- or pro-angiogenic agents, respectively to sites of pathologic or utilitarian angiogenesis. Additionally, in another embodiment, EC progenitors can be used to induce reendothelialization of an injured blood vessel, and thus reduce restenosis by indirectly inhibiting smooth muscle cell proliferation.

Pharmaceutical products comprising endothelial cell precursors

In accordance with the present invention, EC progenitors can be used in a method for regulating angiogenesis, i.e., enhancing or inhibiting blood vessel formation, in a selected patient and in some preferred embodiments for targetting specific locations. For example, the EC progenitors can be used to enhance angiogenesis or to deliver an angiogenesis modulator, e.g. anti- or pro-angiogenic agents, respectively to sites of pathologic or utilitarian angiogenesis. Additionally, in another embodiment, EC progenitors can be used to induce reendothelialization of an injured blood vessel, and thus reduce restenosis by indirectly inhibiting smooth muscle cell proliferation.

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Arlington, MA, United States of America

Takayuki Asahara