RiHeart heart cell sheets enter surgical use after Osaka Expo
The iPS cell-based technology is intended to improve heart function in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy.
Cuorips’ RiHeart sheets, made with heart muscle cells derived from induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, have entered practical use in heart surgery after being displayed at Osaka’s 2025 World Exposition, Jiji reported.
The treatment involves attaching three sheets to the heart. Some 100 million cardiomyocytes help blood vessels recover and improve the heart’s function, according to Jiji.
The technology addresses ischemic cardiomyopathy, a condition in which blocked blood vessels impair the heart muscle’s ability to function. Patients need a heart transplant when the disease becomes serious, and the wait in many cases exceeds five years.
