Constitutive Expression of phVEGF165 After Intramuscular Gene Transfer Promotes Collateral Vessel Development in Patients With Critical Limb Ischemia

To the Editor: Baumgartner et al1 reported a significant advance in angiogenic gene therapy. They induced collateral neovascularization in 10 critically ischemic limbs by injection of vascular endothelial growth factor (phVEGF165) into the muscles of the ischemic limbs. The effect of the therapy was demonstrated by a significant rise in ankle-brachial index, newly visible collateral blood vessels on the contrast angiogram, healing of the patients’ former ulcers, and improvement in pain-free walking time. The authors cautiously claim that such …