Research database

Heart failure is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. In 2017, ischemic heart disease affected approximately 126 million people, leading to 9 million deaths. In Italy, cardiovascular diseases account for nearly half of all deaths (44%), with ischemic heart disease as the most prevalent cause (28%). Ischemic heart disease results in high direct and indirect costs, due to hospitalization, the need for lifelong pharmaceutical therapies, as well as workforce loss due to premature mortality and disability. In Europe, the annual economic burden of heart failure management is €59 billion, and is expected to rise due to increased risk factors, such as obesity, diabetes, and aging. Currently, there are no regenerative therapies for heart failure, except for heart transplantation and their development is highly demanded. RECHARGE project addresses such challenge, by providing a robust preclinical validation of a direct reprogramming miRNA nano-therapy aimed at reverting post- infarction cardiac fibrosis, recovering heart functionality.