Researchers in Japan have shown that an experimental nonsurgical treatment can reduce endometriosis lesions in animals. The research was published in the journal Science Translation Medicine.
Endometriosis is a disease in which the tissue that normally covers the inside of the uterus grows outside of the uterus. The disease affects one in ten women of reproductive age, causing excruciating pain. Hormone therapy helps slow or stop the growth of new adhesions, but it has unwanted side effects and does not help existing adhesions.
Scientists from the science department of the Japanese pharmaceutical company Chugai Pharmaceutical Company have developed a therapy using AMY109 antibodies. To do this, they analyzed the activity of about 250 genes involved in the formation of endometriosis.
The AMY109 antibody binds to and blocks IL-8 signaling. This molecule circulates in the body for a long time, so only one injection per month is enough.
They tested the drug in a monkey model of endometriosis. The antibody effectively slowed the rate of adhesion formation, and in a few individuals, endometriosis resolved spontaneously. This may be because most animals have surgically implanted endometrial tissue to mimic human endometriosis. However, the promising results point to the need for further research.