Cardiovascular disease is the leading global cause of death, with heart attacks and strokes driving most mortality and disability. Despite decades of research, no approved therapies can directly protect the heart during ischemia. Infensa Bioscience is developing macrocyclic peptide therapeutics inspired by Hi1a, a potent ASIC1a inhibitor discovered in the venom of the K’gari (Fraser Island) funnel-web spider (Hadronyche infensa). Engineered for scalability and clinical use, these peptides block ASIC1a to prevent cell death under oxygen-deprived conditions. Preclinical studies demonstrate strong cardioprotection, and first-in-human clinical trials are programmed for 2025/26, aiming to deliver the first drugs that directly protect the heart from ischemic injury.