Contemporary Challenges of Regenerative Therapy in Patients with Ischemic and Non-Ischemic Heart Failure

It has now been almost 20 years since first clinical trials of stem cell therapy for heart repair were initiated. While initial preclinical data were promising and suggested that stem cells may be able to directly restore a diseased myocardium, this was never unequivocally confirmed in the clinical setting. Clinical trials of cell therapy did show the process to be feasible and safe. However, the clinical benefits of this treatment modality in patients with ischemic and non-ischemic heart failure have not been consistently confirmed. What is more, in the rapidly developing field of stem cell therapy in patients with heart failure, relevant questions regarding clinical trials’ protocol streamlining, optimal patient selection, stem cell type and dose, and the mode of cell delivery remain largely unanswered. Recently, novel approaches to myocardial regeneration, including the use of pluripotent and allogeneic stem cells and cell-free therapeutic approaches, have been proposed. Thus, in this review, we aim to outline current knowledge and highlight contemporary challenges and dilemmas in clinical aspects of stem cell and regenerative therapy in patients with chronic ischemic and non-ischemic heart failure.