Prospective Randomized Study of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy in Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery (PROMETHEUS)

Participation in this study will last 18 months. Potential participants will undergo initial screening 5 to 7 weeks prior to CABG surgery. Screening will include a physical exam, blood draw, pregnancy test, questions about medical history, current medications, and alcohol or drug use, an electrocardiogram (ECG), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the heart, questionnaires, an echocardiogram and a computed tomography (CT) scan. Eligible participants will then undergo two baseline visits within 6 weeks of their scheduled surgery. Baseline Visit 1 will consist of vital sign measurements, a bone marrow aspiration to obtain MSCs and a blood draw for a biomarker test. Baseline Visit 2 will include treadmill test, 6-minute walk test, pulmonary function (FEV1) study and a 48 Hour Ambulatory ECG. After the second baseline visit, participants will be assigned randomly to receive either MSCs or placebo after surgery. On the day of surgery, once all of the bypass grafts have been placed, a high or low dose of MSCs or placebo will be injected into a damaged area of the heart that did not receive a bypass graft. After receiving the injections, participants will remain in the hospital for up to 7 days. During this stay, participants will undergo a daily blood draw, urine test, ECG, and ambulatory ECG monitoring for the first 96 hours after surgery. Upon being discharged, participants will return for monthly visits for 6 months and for follow-up visits 12 and 18 months after surgery. These visits will repeat most initial screening and baseline tests. There will be one additional visit 14 days after surgery, which will include questions about side effects, a physical exam, and a 48-hour ambulatory ECG.