Scientists have developed a gene therapy procedure which involves transforming unspecialized heart muscles cells into rhythm-keeping cells, which may possibly eliminate the requirement for pacemakers in the future.

The research was conducted by scientists at the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute over a dozen years with the intention of coming up with a naturally biological treatment for people with heart rhythm disorders who are being treated at present with a pacemaker.

According to the journal Circulation, there are approximately three million people across the world with pacemakers, and every year 600,000 pacemakers are surgically implanted.

The study involved laboratory pigs with heart block who were injected with a gene called TBX18. Following the injection to the pigs’ hearts, those who received the gene had much faster heartbeats than those who did not receive the gene.

With continued research, the procedure may soon be ready for human clinical studies.

Lead study researcher Eduardo Marbán, MD, PhD, director of the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute, is optimistic about the potential of such a biological treatment to potentially eliminate the need to surgically implant pacemakers in the future.

“We have been able, for the first time, to create a biological pacemaker using minimally invasive methods and to show that the biological pacemaker supports the demands of daily life,” said Marbán in a statement.

The findings of the study are published in the journal Science Translational Medicine.