Myoblast Autologous Grafting in Ischemic Cardiomyopathy (MAGIC)

Myoblast Autologous Grafting in Ischemic Cardiomyopathy (MAGIC)

Interpretation
The results of this small, but first-of-its-kind clinical trial indicate that there was no additional benefit of autologous skeletal myoblasts in improving regional or global LV function in patients with severe ischemic cardiomyopathy, compared with CABG alone.
This was despite the fact that the highest dose of myoblasts was associated with a significant antiremodeling effect at 6 months, as evidenced by a reduction in both LVEDV and LVESV, when compared with placebo.
There was no increase in the incidence of MACE or arrhythmias with myoblast injections, although there was a nonsignificant doubling of arrhythmias in the myoblast groups.

Although this was a negative study, cardiac cell therapy is a fascinating, and rapidly evolving field. It is left to be seen if future clinical trials, with optimization of the best cells, their method of harvesting and delivery, and their functional integration in the myocardium, will be able to demonstrate improved patient outcomes in the days ahead.