Wanek, Jacqueline R.

Introduction: While left ventricular assist devise (LVAD) support improves the prognosis of end-stage heart failure (HF) patients, the long-term outcomes remains suboptimal. Improved outcomes may occur with organ protection including reverse myocardial remodeling. Cenderitide (CDNP) is a Mayo engineered designer natriuretic peptide (NP) that co-activates particulate guanylyl cyclase A and B receptors and functions via the second messenger cGMP. We reported a NP deficient state in the heart with LVAD support which lays the rationale for NP replacement therapy with Cenderitide which has cardiorenal protective actions in experimental HF. We sought to determine if Cenderitide co-therapy would be safe and activate cGMP in patients with LVAD support. Hypothesis: Acute single dose of subcutaneous (SQ) Cenderitide will be safe and activate cGMP in patients with LVAD support. Methods: Stable HF patients with LVAD support (Heartmate II, all males) were enrolled in a cross-over design comparing SQ placebo and low (Low-C, 5 ug/kg, n=8) or high dose (High-C, 10 ug/kg, n=8) Cenderitide (Capricor Therapeutics) administration. Vital signs, plasma C(D)NP, cGMP, Aldosterone (Aldo), and NT-proBNP levels were measured before or after drug administration over 24 hours. All parameters in Cenderitide group were adjusted by those in placebo. Results: Both Low-C and High-C group demonstrated significantly increased plasma C(D)NP and cGMP levels for 2 hours after drug injection and those in High-C group showed more prolonged and higher increases than Low-C group. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) in Low-C did not show any changes but in High-C group tended to be lower for 18 hours but this was not significant. Plasma Aldo and NT-proBNP levels in Low-C group did not show any change but those in High-C group tended to be lower after drug injection s similar to the change in MAP. No adverse events were observed in the study. Conclusions: SQ Cenderitide was successfully absorbed, activated cGMP and well tolerated in patients with LVAD support. High dose Cenderitide may have cardiac unloading effects suggested by decreases in NT-proBNP. Further clinical trial for efficacy is warranted to clarify cardiorenal protective effects of Cenderitide in the LVAD population to improve outcomes.