Advances in understanding the molecular basis of myocardial dysfunction, 
together with the evolution of increasingly efficient gene transfer technology, 
make gene-based therapy a promising treatment option for heart conditions. 
Cardiovascular gene therapy has benefitted from recent advancements in vector 
technology, design, and delivery modalities. There is a critical need to explore 
new therapeutic approaches in heart failure, and gene therapy has emerged as a 
viable alternative. Advances in understanding of the molecular basis of 
myocardial dysfunction, together with the development of increasingly efficient 
gene transfer technology, has placed heart failure within reach of gene-based 
therapy. The recent successful and safe completion of a phase 2 trial targeting 
the cardiac sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase pump (SERCA2a) has 
the potential to open a new era for gene therapy for heart failure.