Appleton resident Donald Krause became the first patient in the country last week to undergo an investigational cell therapy for a debilitating heart condition called chronic myocardial ischemia (CMI).

Krause, who’s been suffering from CMI for years, volunteered to be part of the Phase III CardiAMP Cell Therapy Trial at University Hospital after all other established therapies failed to resolve his symptoms.

He was treated by primary investigator for the trial, Amish Raval, MD, associate professor, Cardiovascular Medicine, and supported by Peiman Hematti, MD, professor, Hematology, Medical Oncology and Palliative Care.

CardiAMP Cell Therapy uses a patient’s own (autologous) bone marrow cells delivered to the heart in a minimally invasive, catheter-based procedure to potentially stimulate the body’s natural healing response. The technique incorporates a unique pre-procedural screening assay to identify those patients who are likely responders to the intervention, a first for a cardiac cell therapy. Patients in the trial are typically treated and discharged from the hospital the morning after the study procedure.

“Our hope is that the addition of CardiAMP cell therapy to the best therapeutic options currently available for CMI will help improve the quality of life for patients like Mr. Krause and the tens of thousands of other people who are diagnosed each year,” said Dr. Raval.

Read the full story from UW SMPH.

Banner: Dr. Amish Raval. Credit: Clint Thayer/Department of Medicine.