Could an 'Exercise-in-a-Pill' replace workouts for heart failure?

NCT ID NCT05696652

Recruiting now Knowledge-focused Sponsor: Stanford University Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study from Stanford University is looking at what happens inside the body when people with heart failure exercise. Researchers will measure thousands of proteins in the blood before and after a single workout, and again after a 12-week cardiac rehab program. By comparing these protein changes between those who exercise and those who wait, they hope to find molecules that could one day be turned into medicines that mimic exercise's benefits.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: exercise (acute treadmill session and 12-week cardiac rehabilitation)
What this could lead to: If successful, this could identify key proteins that change with exercise, pointing toward new drug targets that mimic exercise benefits for heart failure patients.
What could go wrong: This is an early exploratory study with only 90 participants. It measures protein changes, not clinical outcomes, so it may not lead to any new treatments.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

heart failure systolic heart failure

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

HEART FAILURE

Contacts and locations

Locations

Stanford Health Care
RECRUITING

Stanford, California, 94305, United States

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