4TEEN4 Pharmaceuticals has started testing a new drug called procizumab in patients with cardiogenic shock, a life-threatening condition where the heart can’t pump enough blood. This trial, called PROCARD1, will check if the drug is safe, how much should be given, and if it shows early signs of working in up to 70 patients. The patients in the study have high levels of a harmful substance called cDPP3, which is linked to worse outcomes in shock patients. Procizumab is designed to block cDPP3, which normally breaks down a key heart-supporting chemical called angiotensin II. When this happens, the body’s blood pressure and heart function can fail, leading to organ damage and death. Early lab tests showed that procizumab helped restore heart function and improved survival. Dr. Andreas Bergmann, CEO of 4TEEN4 Pharmaceuticals, said, ‘Starting this study is a big step for us as we move closer to larger trials. Procizumab has already shown promise in lab tests and early patient use, proving its potential to help.’ Dr. Alexandre Mebazaa, the lead researcher for the study, added, ‘Studies of over 100,000 critically ill patients show that high cDPP3 levels mean a higher risk of death in shock patients. Procizumab is meant to stop cDPP3 from causing harm.’ In the trial, patients will get either a low or high dose of procizumab or a placebo through an IV, along with standard care. The trial is happening in Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, the Netherlands, and Poland. Cardiogenic shock is a serious condition where the heart suddenly can’t pump enough blood, and it’s the second most common cause of circulatory failure. More than half of patients with this condition die, and there are currently no approved treatments that target the root cause of the problem.