Given that we know as much as you do about tonight’s episode (not much!)… we’ve decided to go in a different direction this week. We do know that two young boys in Georgia die of unexplained heart attacks. Instead of guessing what fictional boogie-man the show will create tonight, we’ve decided to show you just what biotech is doing to prevent heart attacks in the first place – as well as treat cardiac conditions leading up to (and following) heart attacks.

Back in 2002, Genentech released some surprising results… showing that treating a heart attack patient early with TNKase – otherwise known as the “clot dissolver” – was important to a patient’s recovery. Their study proved that early treatment of acute heart attacks with an in-ambulance injection of the clot dissolver showed a significant improvement in recovery. A few years later, came the Vescell stem cell therapy that restores blood flow to the heart.

Already this year, researchers found myriad distinctive differences in people’s genes, which likely affect cholesterol & metabolism levels. Their findings could help with determining an individual’s genetic risk of heart disease, as well as lead to a better understanding of cholesterol metabolism and possibly to the discovery of novel new cholesterol-lowering drugs. Then in September, we discovered a way to produce human heart tissue using your heart’s own stem cells – giving us the ability to grow hearts in the future.

And in 2008, we have at least 25 new biotech-based cardiovascular drugs in review with the FDA. Everything from the Mydicar gene therapy for congestive heart failure to the MLN-1202 mAb for atherosclerosis is represented in this list that provides so much hope for cardiovascular patients around the world.

In other words, biotech is a rapidly growing field – solving so many of the medical puzzles we’ve grappled with for so long. By understanding our body’s own building blocks, we are uncovering new, targeted, personalized medicines that correct malfunctioning cells without harming healthy ones. Just think… if even five of the clinical trials are successful, that’s five new life-saving treatments to choose from… and that’s in the area of cardiovascular research alone. In all, there are 633 treatments being studied in trials right now. Utterly remarkable.

Next week, please watch for a live blog event here on Thursday at 10pm EST, while we blog during the show – and invite comments & participation!!

For more information on heart disease and treatment options, please click here.