We are attempting to use the techniques of gene therapy to treat cardiovascular disease. In particular, we are using adenoviral vectors as a way of efficiently transferring foreign genes into the vessel wall or to the myocardium. Our major focus is to treat vascular restenosis, which occurs in approximately 30-50% of patients after balloon angioplasty. Our hope is to use adenoviral vectors to efficiently and selectively transfer genes, whose products may inhibit smooth muscle cell proliferation at sites of vascular injury.
