A medical team from the University of Queensland has achieved a significant breakthrough by developing the first drug to treat heart attacks and protect the hearts of donors using the venom of the K’gari spider, which is native to Australia. The drug has successfully passed animal testing, and the team is preparing to begin clinical trials on humans soon.
Animal experiments showed that the peptide derived from the spider’s venom, known as Hi1a, can protect the heart from oxygen deprivation, which is the primary cause of heart damage during heart attacks. This discovery could represent a major step forward in addressing heart damage caused by such incidents.
Researchers are set to conduct human trials with funding from the Medical Research Future Fund, which will last for four years, aiming to assess the drug’s safety and effectiveness. The team hopes this new treatment will offer a solution to the lack of treatments that protect heart cells during heart attacks.
Despite the significant burden that heart attacks and heart failure place on healthcare systems and economies, current research lacks effective drugs that protect heart cells during an attack. This discovery raises hopes that the new drug could provide an effective solution to this critical issue.
