Isomab safety evidence presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2026 shows no new risks linked to stimulating blood vessel growth in coronary artery disease patients.
Review of two decades of pro‑angiogenic trials finds no safety signal
The firm’s systematic review covered 11 clinical studies conducted between 2002 and 2024, involving 636 participants with angina or peripheral artery disease. Researchers compared 441 patients receiving pro‑angiogenic therapy with 195 receiving placebo, with follow‑up ranging from two to twelve years.
Across the pooled data, the analysis found no evidence of additional long‑term safety concerns for therapies that promote vessel formation, including various VEGF‑A isoforms. The results matched outcomes observed in age‑matched control groups, suggesting that the hypothesised risks have not materialised in practice.
Professor David Bates, the study’s author and chief scientific officer, said, “These findings represent an important step forward for the field of therapeutic angiogenesis. They resolve safety questions that have clouded the perception of an entire class of treatments and give us a strong foundation as we advance ISM-001 towards first‑in‑human studies.”
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Ischaemic heart disease remains the leading cause of premature death worldwide, accounting for roughly 13 % of all deaths. Despite advances in revascularisation and medical therapy, a sizable portion of patients continue to experience chronic angina that does not respond to standard treatment.
While the data are reassuring, the review does not address efficacy, which still requires confirmation in dedicated trials. The lack of safety signals removes a major barrier, but developers must still prove that new agents can meaningfully improve blood flow and symptoms.
For readers unfamiliar with the underlying biology, the importance lies in the balance of VEGF‑A signalling. The protein family includes isoforms that either promote or inhibit new vessel growth. Targeting the inhibitory variant, VEGF‑A165b, offers a way to nudge the system toward repair without flooding the tissue with growth factors, a strategy that could avoid the side‑effects seen in earlier attempts.
ISM‑001 moves toward first‑in‑human testing
Founded in 2022 as a spin‑out from the University of Nottingham, the biotech is preparing its lead candidate, ISM‑001, for a first‑in‑human trial in patients with chronic refractory angina. Unlike earlier approaches that deliver growth factors directly, ISM‑001 is a novel antibody designed to selectively block VEGF‑A165b, thereby rebalancing the angiogenic signal.
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Dr Philip Brainin, chief executive officer, added, “Given the scale and continuing burden of coronary artery disease, the opportunity to change the course of the disease is enormous. With ISM‑001, we are looking to introduce a new treatment paradigm – rebalancing VEGF‑A signalling to unlock the heart’s own capacity to heal itself.”
The upcoming trial will enrol participants who have exhausted conventional therapies, aiming to assess both safety and preliminary efficacy. If successful, the study could pave the way for larger, multicentre programmes that test the antibody in broader CAD populations.
Regulatory agencies have shown interest in disease‑modifying therapies that address the underlying pathology rather than merely relieving symptoms. The clear safety profile emerging from the review may smooth the path for approval processes, though efficacy data will remain the decisive factor.
In the meantime, the company plans to continue its collaboration with academic partners to explore combination strategies that might enhance the angiogenic response. The data set, as presented, seems oddly straightforward, yet the real‑world translation will depend on many variables.
