Lay summary
Heart attacks are a leading cause of death and disability in New Zealand and worldwide. Despite improvements in initial heart attack survival, many patients are left with damaged hearts, increasing their risk of long-term heart disease and dying prematurely. Thus, there is a critical need for more effective therapies in the early treatment of heart attacks. Our research has identified a promising new therapy based on suPAR, a naturally occurring protein in the body. This project will further examine suPAR’s heart-protective effects through a comprehensive series of investigations, testing long-term protective actions in small and large pre-clinical models of heart attack, as well as in living human heart cells. Our results will generate essential data to support future investment and progression toward first-in-human clinical trials. suPAR could be a breakthrough therapy for heart attacks, reducing long-term heart damage, improving recovery, helping patients maintain quality of life and extending survival.