HGT-Cardio-1

HGT-Cardio-1 is an adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy developed by Houston Gene Therapeutics for the treatment of atherosclerosis, type 2 diabetes, and vascular disease. The therapy delivers two therapeutic genes, Forkhead box P3 (FoxP3) and Interleukin-10 (IL-10), which are expressed under the control of a patented inflammation-responsive promoter called eNOX1pr. This promoter is specifically activated by high cholesterol diets and reactive oxygen species (ROS), allowing for localized, disease-specific expression at sites of vascular inflammation. In preclinical studies using LDLR-KO mouse models, HGT-Cardio-1 demonstrated superior efficacy in inhibiting atherosclerosis compared to standard statins. The therapy is designed to provide long-term immunoregulatory and anti-inflammatory effects, potentially lasting up to 10 years after a single administration.