The Keck School of Medicine of USC has launched a strategic collaboration with StemCardia, a biotechnology company, founded by a Keck School of Medicine faculty member, that develops cellular and genetic therapies to address heart failure.

Heart failure, which happens when the heart cannot pump blood sufficiently throughout the body, is the leading cause of death worldwide. In the United States, it contributes to 1 in every 8 deaths and is the most common reason for hospitalization among adults over 65.

But few treatment options exist, which is why only about half of patients with heart failure survive more than five years after their diagnosis. Innovation is urgently needed to prolong lives and to reduce the substantial burden of heart failure on health care systems around the world.

Those pressing needs spurred the new collaborative effort, which aligns StemCardia’s technology with the pioneering research of the company’s founder, Charles (Chuck) Murry, MD, PhD.

Murry established the company in 2023 while working for the University of Washington. Now, he is chair of the KSOM Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine and director of the Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC.

“This alliance gives us a clear path for translating our scientific results into therapeutic technologies that can benefit countless patients around the world,” said Murry, who is also StemCardia’s chief executive officer. “We are enthusiastic about the opportunity to further apply our science to save and improve lives.”

Murry, a physician-scientist with decades of experience studying stem cell biology, has led efforts to regenerate human heart tissue and restore the organ’s ability to pump blood. His research explores innovative approaches for heart failure, including cellular replacement and genetic enhancement.

Redefining the treatment landscape 

Two primary goals define the new collaboration. Murry and his team aim to develop new cell replacement therapies, including using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to regenerate heart muscle. They will also create new gene therapies that have been shown experimentally to strengthen heart muscle contraction. Over the next year, the team will conduct critical safety and efficacy studies to gain approval to begin testing in patients via the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Investigational New Drug (IND) program.

Those priorities align with USC’s commitment to innovation in the health sciences, said Vasiliki Anest, PhD, chief innovation officer at the Keck School of Medicine and head of MESH Strategic Partnerships.

“At USC, we believe in the power of collaboration to transform research into real-world solutions. Partnering with StemCardia places us at the forefront of developing innovative treatments for heart failure that could revolutionize patient care,” she said.

“This collaboration exemplifies the synergy between academic innovators and entrepreneurs, creating an innovation ecosystem that turns cutting-edge science into life-saving therapies,” Anest said.

StemCardia boasts expertise from a range of sources, including researchers studying heart regeneration, esteemed physicians, and scientists who specialize in translating findings from the lab to the clinic. The company is also at the forefront of heart regeneration technologies, using bioreactors to grow large quantities of cardiac cells, as well as other advanced tools. 

“Together with USC, we aim to redefine the treatment landscape for heart failure,” said Carter Cliff, president of StemCardia. “This partnership will focus on leveraging USC’s world-class research and manufacturing capabilities with StemCardia’s broad technology platform to accelerate multiple programs to the clinic.”