First iPS-cell heart sheet transplant leads to patient discharge in Japan

Doctors at Osaka Police Hospital reported that a 50-plus-year-old woman from Kanagawa Prefecture recovered well after receiving ReHeart, a sheet of heart muscle cells derived from induced pluripotent stem cells. The operation, led by Dr. Yoshiki Sawa, lasted about 50 minutes on September 29 and stabilized her condition by the following day, allowing transfer from intensive care to a general ward. She began walking exercises shortly thereafter and, a month later, could move around the hospital without difficulty.

The patient expressed optimism, saying she hopes to resume normal activities such as walking her dog and running freely. She will remain on immunosuppressants until the end of the year and receive follow-up care locally. The treatment, commercialized by Cuorips after conditional approval from Japan’s Health Ministry, is slated for up to 75 patients across roughly 20 institutions.