• Pre-clinical study results demonstrate that CardiolRx inhibits and also promotes the reversal of mechanisms leading to Cardiac Fibrosis
  • The data were presented at The Annual Scientific Meeting of the Heart Failure Society of America
  • The authors concluded that the API in CardiolRx protects cardiac function and exhibits an anti-fibrotic effect
  • Cardiol Therapeutics is a clinical-stage life sciences company focused on the research and clinical development of anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic therapies
  • Cardiol Therapeutics Inc. (CRDL) is down 1.42 per cent on the day, trading at C$1.39 per share at 10:30 am ET

Pre-clinical study results demonstrate that CardiolRx inhibits and also promotes the reversal of mechanisms leading to Cardiac Fibrosis.

The data were presented at The Annual Scientific Meeting of the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA2022).

The poster entitled “Cannabidiol Inhibits Endothelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition and also Promotes the Reverse Process in vitro” was presented within the “Basic and Translational Science” category of the HFSA2022 Scientific Programme.

The authors concluded that the API in CardiolRx protects cardiac function and exhibits an anti-fibrotic effect, possibly mediated by endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndoMT).

“Our research collaborators from Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center have previously shown that CardiolRx™ preserves cardiac function in a pre-clinical model of heart failure. The results of the present study provide further evidence of the cardioprotective properties of CardiolRx that suggest anti-fibrotic mechanisms with therapeutic potential in heart failure,” stated Dr. Andrew Hamer, Cardiol Therapeutics’ Chief Medical Officer and Head of Research & Development.

“These results, together with previously reported pre-clinical in vivo data demonstrating anti-inflammatory activity, underpin our plan to advance the development of a novel subcutaneous formulation of CardiolRx for use in heart failure.”

EndoMT is a complex biological process whereby an endothelial cell, the main cell type found in the inside lining of blood vessels, undergoes a series of molecular events that alter its characteristics towards a mesenchymal cell, such as a myofibroblast. Myofibroblast cells are the primary cells during wound healing and fibrosis. Mounting evidence indicates that EndoMT is involved in adult CVD. The mechanism has been described to contribute to myocardial fibrosis, an important part of heart remodelling that can lead to heart failure.

In the study, EndoMT was induced in HUVEC cells, a model system for studying human endothelial cell function, using a combination of agents (L-NAME and angiotensin-II). EndoMT was characterized through immunofluorescence (“IF”) for endothelial (CD31) and mesenchymal (Vimentin) markers. CardiolRx™ was added during the EndoMT induction process, and on Day 4 following induction, IF studies were performed. CardiolRx™ was shown to reduce the expression of the mesenchymal marker Vimentin in a dose-dependent manner. Separately, CardiolRx™ was added to EndoMT transitioned cells (after Day 4 of EndoMT), and IF studies were performed on Day 8. In this experiment, CardiolRx™ was shown to reduce Vimentin expression, suggesting a reversal of EndoMT in vitro. This provides evidence that the cardioprotective properties of CardiolRx™ are due, in part, to the modulation of EndoMT.

Cardiol Therapeutics is a clinical-stage life sciences company focused on the research and clinical development of anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic therapies for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

Cardiol Therapeutics Inc. (CRDL) is down 1.42 per cent on the day, trading at C$1.39 per share at 10:30 am ET.


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