title: Phase II angiogenesis stimulators.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Therapeutic angiogenesis is a strategy of inducing new collateral vessels and stimulating new capillaries that enhance tissue oxygen exchange in ischemic cardiovascular disorders, including acute myocardial infarction, chronic cardiac ischemia, peripheral artery disease and stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  Over the last 10 years, promising results of early clinical trials have generated great expectation on the potential of therapeutic angiogenesis. However, even if large randomized placebo-controlled and double-blinded Phase II clinical trials have confirmed the feasibility, safety and potential effectiveness of therapeutic angiogenesis, they provided very limited evidence of its efficacy in terms of clinical benefit.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results of the latest trials on therapeutic angiogenesis have not provided satisfactory results. Much is still unknown about the optimal delivery of angiogenic factors. Trials using alternative growth factors, dose regimens and methods of delivery are needed to enhance the treatment benefit of therapeutic angiogenesis.
authors.affiliation: University of Bari Medical School, National Cancer Institute, Giovanni Paolo II, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neurosciences and Sensory Organs, Piazza G. Cesare, 11, Policlinico, 70124 Bari, Italy. domenico.ribatti@uniba.it
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ribatti
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baiguera
mesh_terms: D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D006801:Humans; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents; D010100:Oxygen