Extracellular vesicles (CARMEV) and mitochondria (MOT™) for prevention of kidney and heart failure

Important results from the project

The objectives have been met: 1) CARMEV can extend the shelf life of MOT, enabling transport to other centers for treatment. 2) CARMEV increases the uptake of MOT into cells. 3) CARMEV+MOT is better than each component in monotherapy in preventing the consequences of ischemia-reperfusion injury in the heart, kidneys and brain in a mouse model. 4) MOT has no effect over placebo in a large animal model of kidney injury. Combination CARMEV+MOT will be studied in a pig model in January 2026.

Expected long term effects

CARMEV reduces inflammation, prevents myofibroblast activation and fibrosis, and enhances cellular uptake of MOT, which restores mitochondrial function and shifts metabolism back to oxidative phosphorylation. This combined CARMEV-MOT therapy may prevent heart failure after heart attach, reduce renal injury in cardiac disease or surgery, lessen stroke damage, treat traumatic brain injury, and address metabolic dysfunction in neurodegenerative diseases. CARMEV-MOT will be tested in clinical trials

Approach and implementation

1) Uppsala: Generation of CARMEV. MOT isolation technology was transferred to Uppsala. IR- injury experiments on mice with addition of the respective combination were performed and evaluated. 2) Mitosense: produced MOT for animal experiments. Performed the studies of CARMEV preservation of MOT as well as efficacy studies after transport. 3) USUHS performed the pig experiments. New pig studies in January 2026, where CARMEV-MOT is evaluated, this when the administration in the USA was closed.