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In other studies, Riley has since shown that other proteins besides thymosin β4 might also have a role in stimulating the epicardium to regenerate the heart7.

After causing heart attacks in the primed mice, the researchers also gave them a booster dose of thymosin beta 4 and this prompted the EPDCs to transform into cardiomycytes, and integrate with existing muscle.

Magnetic resonance imaging scans showed that the hearts of mice that had received thymosin β4 had smaller scars and were able to pump more blood with each contraction than were the hearts of untreated rodents.

But showed the drug, thymosin beta 4, if used in advance of a heart attack, was able to "prime" the heart for repair.

They pre-treated adult mice with a daily injection of a protein called thymosin β4 for one week before inducing an infarction, and found that these mice were able to produce new cardiac muscle.