Clinical improvement after treatment with VEGF(165) in patients with severe chronic lower limb ischaemia.

The present study focuses on the application of a therapeutic strategy in patients with chronic severe lower limb ischaemia using a plasmid vector encoding the vascular endothelial growth factor (phVEGF(165)). It has been shown that VEGF promotes neo-vascularization and blood vessel network formation and thus might have the ability to improve blood-flow at the level of the affected limbs. However, little information is available regarding the necessary level of expression of VEGF and its possible related adverse effects.