Angiogenic gene therapy for heart disease: a review of animal studies and clinical trials

The current published clinical literature on angiogenic gene therapy for th e treatment of myocardial ischemia does not include a single randomized, pl acebo-controlled trial. Based on current clinical literature, it is an unpr oven therapy. Successful animal studies combined with published reports of good outcomes in patients enrolled in uncontrolled trials has led to the ex pectation that angiogenic gene therapy will ultimately become a clinical re ality. The next important landmark in the field will be the publication of data showing a favorable effect of angiogenic gene transfer in placebo-cont rolled, blinded clinical trials. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.