CPI at TAM Center · Tijuana, Mexico
Stem Cell Therapy for
Heart Disease
Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the world. For patients who have run out of easy answers, regenerative medicine offers a different path.
Free consultation. No obligation. Speak with our team about your specific condition.
#1
Cause of death globally (WHO)
~17.9M
Cardiovascular deaths per year
20+
Years of published cardiac stem cell research
The Problem
The world’s number one killer
Cardiovascular disease kills more people than any other condition on earth. The World Health Organization puts the toll at roughly 17.9 million deaths every year, close to one in three deaths worldwide. Standard care keeps millions of people alive, yet for many patients the damaged heart muscle itself never recovers. Medication manages symptoms. It does not rebuild tissue.
That gap is the reason researchers have spent the last two decades studying whether mesenchymal stem cells can help the heart repair itself.
How It Works
Think of the cells as a repair crew
Mesenchymal stem cells, or MSCs, are the body’s repair cells. They do not simply replace damaged tissue. Think of them as a repair crew you send into an injured area. They calm the inflammation that keeps the damage going, they help restore blood supply, help remodel scar tissue and they keep the muscle cells around the injury alive. In a struggling heart, that is exactly the kind of work the muscle needs.
There is a catch, though. Your heart never stops moving, and your bloodstream is constantly flushing things through it. So the real question is not only which repair crew you send, but how you get them to the heart and how long you can keep them there long enough to work. That is where CPI does things differently.
At CPI we treat a range of conditions with hypoxic mesenchymal stem cells, and heart conditions and heart disease are among them. Treatment is delivered at TAM Center hospital in Tijuana, Mexico, and a typical visit runs about five days. Most patients begin to notice change over the following three to six months, with improvement reported for up to a year. Every patient is different, so results vary from person to person.
Exclusive to CPI at TAM Center. This heart treatment is offered only through CPI at TAM Center in North America.
This is not a cure, and no clinic can promise your heart will respond a certain way. What we can do is start with an honest review of your history and tell you whether you are a reasonable candidate. That conversation is free.
Delivery Methods
Two ways we deliver the repair crew
Getting cells to a beating heart is the hard part. CPI offers two delivery methods, and the right one for you is a decision our medical team makes with you at your consultation, based on your specific heart.
Method 01
Marinating the Heart
This is the method that sets CPI apart. Instead of sending cells through a general IV and hoping enough of them find the heart, the team guides a thin catheter to the large vein that drains the heart, called the coronary sinus, and gently holds the cells in place there with a small balloon for several minutes.
That pause is the whole point. It lets the repair crew soak into the heart muscle and settle in before your bloodstream can wash them away. We call it Marinating the Heart, because you are letting the cells marinate right where the damage is instead of sending them on a lap around the whole body first.
Delivering the cells at the source concentrates them where they are needed.
Method 02
High-Dose IV Therapy
Not every patient is suited to the direct approach, and some conditions respond better to reaching the whole body. For those patients, CPI offers high-dose intravenous therapy, meaning a strong dose of stem cells delivered by infusion, and repeated over a course rather than given only once.
Published research has shown that repeated IV infusions of umbilical cord stem cells can be delivered safely, and the science behind multi-dose therapy is expanding quickly. In the RIMECARD trial, a single IV infusion of umbilical cord stem cells improved ejection fraction by about 7 percent at 12 months compared with placebo, with no infusion related adverse events.
Which path is right for you. Some patients are better suited to Marinating the Heart, some to high-dose IV therapy, and the choice depends on your diagnosis and your heart. That is one of the first things we sort out in your free consultation.
Combined Approach
Why we often send in both crews
For many patients, CPI does not pick one method over the other. We use both, and the easiest way to picture it is two repair crews working on the heart at the same time instead of one.
The first crew is delivered straight to the heart through Marinating the Heart, held in place and allowed to soak directly into the damaged muscle. That crew works up close, concentrated right where the injury is.
The second crew goes in through high-dose IV therapy and travels the bloodstream, reaching the heart from the inside out and supporting the wider cardiovascular system along the way.
The reason we combine them is coverage from two directions at once. The direct crew puts a concentrated dose exactly at the site of the damage, while the IV crew keeps working throughout the body and can reach places a single, localized delivery cannot. Rather than relying on one route and hoping it is enough, you give the heart help right at the source and broader support everywhere else at the same time. As with any treatment this is not a cure and results vary from person to person, which is why both methods make sense for you. It is decided with our medical team at your free consultation.
Find out which method is right for you.
Our medical team reviews your specific heart condition and recommends the right path.
What to Expect
How your visit works
The treatment runs over five days at CPI’s hospital in Tijuana. Here is what to expect, step by step.
1
Evaluation first
Before any treatment, the team reviews your heart history and current condition to confirm you are a candidate and to choose the right delivery method for you. Medical imaging and blood work are performed along with a series of tests to make sure you are good candidate for either or both therapies. The goal is to establish a baseline and look at the best options for you while keeping safety in mind and evaluating the best potential for success.
2
Your cells are prepared
CPI uses hypoxic mesenchymal stem cells processed with no animal byproducts, for the reasons explained further down this page.
3
The cells are delivered
Depending on the plan set at your evaluation, the repair crew is delivered either by Marinating the Heart, directly to the heart and held in place to soak into the muscle, and/or by high-dose IV therapy. Both are done under the care of the medical team.
4
Monitored closely
After the procedure you are watched by the medical team with heart expertise before you rest and recover through the remainder of your visit.
5
Follow-up for the year that follows
Most patients begin noticing change over three to six months, with improvement reported for up to a year. Every patient is different, so results vary.
Peer-Reviewed Research
The data behind stem cells for the heart
This is not a fringe idea being tested for the first time. Mesenchymal stem cell therapy for the failing heart has been studied in controlled clinical trials, and the results have been published in peer reviewed cardiology journals.
RESCUE-HF Trial
Cells delivered to the heartIn the RESCUE-HF trial, umbilical cord cells were delivered directly to the heart, the same principle behind Marinating the Heart. Patients saw their ejection fraction, the measure of how well the heart pumps, improve from roughly 25 percent to roughly 35 percent over 12 months.
~25%
Ejection fraction before treatment
~35%
Ejection fraction at 12 months
12 mo
Follow-up period
Tuma J, et al. Cell Transplantation. 2016;25(9):1713–1721. doi:10.3727/096368915X690314
RIMECARD Trial
IV infusionIn the RIMECARD trial, published in Circulation Research in 2017, patients with chronic heart failure received a single intravenous infusion of umbilical cord derived MSCs and were compared against a placebo group. Only the stem cell group showed a significant improvement in ejection fraction. The improvement held at 3, 6, and 12 months. Patients also reported better functional class and quality of life, with no adverse events tied to the infusion.
+7%
Ejection fraction improvement at 12 months vs almost no change on placebo
Better
NYHA functional class at every follow-up point
Zero
Infusion related adverse events or harmful antibody response
Bartolucci J, et al. Circulation Research. 2017;121(10):1192–1204. doi:10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.117.310712
Repeated dosing: where the research is heading
Newer trials are now testing repeated IV infusions rather than a single dose, and they have shown that a multi dose course can be delivered safely. How much added benefit repeated dosing provides is still being studied in ongoing trials. This is the direction the field is moving, and it is the thinking behind CPI’s high-dose IV program.
Published trial results describe the patients enrolled in those studies. They are the reason we take this seriously, and they are not a guarantee of what will happen for any individual. Your candidacy and your likely response depend on your own condition.
Patient Profile
Who this may be for
Stem cell therapy for the heart is not right for everyone, and part of an honest consultation is telling you when it is not. It tends to be worth exploring for people who:
Have been diagnosed with heart failure or reduced heart function and still have symptoms despite good medical care
Do you still have chest pain or shortness of breath after having heart surgery or a stent procedure
Have you been told the options are becoming limited
Want to understand what the published research does and does not show before deciding
It is generally not appropriate for people in an acute emergency, and certain conditions can make treatment unsafe. The only way to know where you stand is a review with our team.
Not sure if you qualify?
We tell candidates yes or no honestly. If you are not a good fit, we will say so.
Cell Quality
Why we use hypoxic stem cells
Not all stem cells are grown the same way, and the way they are grown changes how well they work. Most clinics culture cells in ordinary room air, which is about 20 percent oxygen. The problem is that stem cells never live in room air inside your body. Bone marrow sits at 2 to 7 percent oxygen. Cartilage is lower still. Room air is three to ten times higher than the environment these cells evolved to function in.
CPI grows cells under hypoxic conditions that copy the low oxygen environment of living tissue. The difference is measurable. A 2018 study in the Journal of Translational Medicine compared MSCs grown in standard air against cells grown in low oxygen and found the hypoxic cells were about 50 percent more clonogenic, meaning they were markedly better at self renewal, a direct sign of potency. The hypoxic cells also switched on genes tied to tissue repair, new blood vessel formation, and control of inflammation.
Put simply: cells grown the way the body keeps them come out stronger. When you compare clinics, ask how their cells were cultured. Most cannot tell you. We can.
~50% more clonogenic
A 2018 study in the Journal of Translational Medicine compared MSCs grown in standard air against cells grown in low oxygen and found the hypoxic cells were about 50 percent more clonogenic — markedly better at self renewal, a direct sign of potency. The hypoxic cells also switched on genes tied to tissue repair, new blood vessel formation, and control of inflammation.
Elabd C, Ichim TE, Miller K, et al. “Comparing atmospheric and hypoxic cultured mesenchymal stem cell transcriptome: implication for stem cell therapies targeting intervertebral discs.” Journal of Translational Medicine. 2018;16(1):222.
PubMed | doi:10.1186/s12967-018-1601-9
Cell Processing
Why we use no animal byproducts
To multiply stem cells in the lab, the cells must be fed. The cheap and common way to do that is with fetal calf serum, an animal product. It works, and it costs almost nothing, which is why low-priced clinics rely on it. It also carries a documented risk. When cells grown in animal serum are infused into a person, the body can react to the leftover animal proteins.
A 2015 study in the Journal of Translational Medicine laid out both sides of this. Patients have been found to carry antibodies against calf serum proteins before treatment, and to develop new ones after receiving animal grown cells. The reported reactions included fever, immune responses, and in documented cases anaphylaxis. The same study showed that switching to a human based, animal free medium produced nearly double the cell yield while removing that risk.
CPI uses no animal byproducts in its cell processing. That choice costs more. For a therapy going into your heart, we think it is the only choice that makes sense.
Nearly double the cell yield — with no animal proteins
A 2015 study showed that switching to a human based, animal free medium produced nearly double the cell yield while removing the documented risk of immune reactions to animal serum proteins.
Riordan NH, Madrigal M, Reneau J, et al. “Scalable efficient expansion of mesenchymal stem cells in xeno-free media using commercially available reagents.” Journal of Translational Medicine. 2015;13:232.
PubMed | doi:10.1186/s12967-015-0561-6
Why CPI
Why patients choose CPI
Exclusive in North America to CPI at TAM Center
This heart treatment is offered only through CPI at TAM Center, not anywhere else.
Two delivery methods, matched to you
Marinating the Heart for direct delivery, and high-dose IV therapy, chosen for your specific condition.
A licensed hospital, not a clinic
CPI is a hospital licensed by COFEPRIS, Mexico’s federal health regulator, the equivalent of the FDA.
An ISO 9001 certified laboratory
Cell processing follows a certified quality system, not guesswork.
Hypoxic cells and no animal byproducts
Two quality choices, both backed by published research, both explained above.
A focused five day visit
Treatment in Tijuana is built around a visit of about five days, close to the U.S. border.
A straight answer up front
We tell candidates yes or no honestly. If you are not a good fit, we will say so.
Find out if you are a candidate
The next step is a free consultation. We will review your heart condition, your history, and your goals, and give you an honest read on whether stem cell therapy is worth considering for you, and which method fits. No pressure, no obligation.
Free consultation. No obligation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions people ask
Published clinical trials have studied mesenchymal stem cells in heart failure patients and reported improvements in how well the heart pumps, along with a strong safety record. Results vary by person and are not guaranteed. At CPI, a free consultation is the way to learn whether your condition may respond.
It is CPI’s method of delivering stem cells directly to the heart rather than through a general IV. The team guides a thin catheter to the vein that drains the heart and briefly holds the cells in place so they soak into the heart muscle before the bloodstream carries them away. Concentrating the cells at the source is what sets this apart from a standard IV drip. In the published RESCUE-HF trial, cells delivered to the heart this way improved how well the heart pumped over 12 months.
Yes. For patients better suited to it, CPI offers high-dose IV therapy, a strong dose of stem cells given by infusion and repeated over a course. Which method is right for you, direct delivery or IV, is decided with our medical team at your consultation based on your specific heart.
CPI uses hypoxic mesenchymal stem cells, grown in a low oxygen environment that copies living tissue. Published research shows this method produces cells that are roughly 50 percent more potent than cells grown in ordinary room air. We also process cells with no animal byproducts to reduce immune risk.
In published heart failure trials, MSC infusions were given without infusion related adverse events and without a harmful antibody response. CPI adds two safety layers: an animal free process that avoids documented reactions to calf serum, and delivery inside a COFEPRIS licensed hospital. Your safety still depends on your individual health.
This treatment is exclusive to CPI at TAM Center and is delivered at CPI’s hospital in Tijuana, Mexico, close to the U.S. border. A typical visit runs about five days. Most patients begin noticing change over the next three to six months, with improvement reported up to a year afterward. Individual results vary.
That depends on your diagnosis, your history, and your current care. The only way to know is a review with our team. CPI offers a free consultation where we look at your specific situation, tell you honestly whether you are a reasonable candidate, and recommend which delivery method fits.
Request a free consultation through CPI. Share your heart condition and history, and our team will walk you through what treatment would involve, what the published research does and does not show, and whether it makes sense for you. There is no cost and no obligation to begin.
References
Published sources
1.
Safety and Efficacy of the Intravenous Infusion of Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Patients With Heart Failure (RIMECARD trial). Circulation Research. 2017;121(10):1192-1204.
2.
Retrograde Delivery of Allogeneic Umbilical Cord Lining Subepithelial Cells in Patients With Heart Failure (RESCUE-HF trial). Cell Transplantation. 2016;25(9):1713-1721.
3.
Design and rationale of CATO, a Phase IIA study of single or repeated intravenous administration of umbilical cord derived MSCs in ischemic cardiomyopathy. American Heart Journal. 2026;294:107328.
4.
PRIME-HFrEF: a randomized, double blind, multi dose umbilical cord derived MSC regimen for heart failure. Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy. 2026;11:112.
5.
Hypoxic versus atmospheric MSC culture and the stem cell transcriptome. Journal of Translational Medicine. 2018;16:222.
6.
Scalable expansion of mesenchymal stem cells in xeno free (animal product free) media. Journal of Translational Medicine. 2015;13:232.
7.
World Health Organization. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) fact sheet.