Tapeworm drug could help treat endometriosis, mouse study hints

A modified tapeworm medication could be a promising new treatment for endometriosis, an early study in mice hints.

In endometriosis , tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the organ, and these patches of tissue, called "lesions," trigger painful inflammation and heavy menstrual bleeding. In the new study, scientists fitted an anti-worm drug with nanotech armor, and it directly targeted these painful lesions in laboratory mice.

The treatment reduced inflammation and slowed or prevented further spread of the lesions, researchers reported in August in the journal Advanced Healthcare Materials . The team is already working on bringing the new drug to clinical trials and hopes this will bring fresh attention to an understudied disease with limited treatment options.

Endometriosis is a chronic, hormone-driven condition that affects roughly 10% of reproductive-age females ‪—‬ an estimated 190 million individuals worldwide. "The main symptoms are chronic pelvic pain and infertility," said Ioannis Simitsidellis , a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Edinburgh's Centres for Reproductive Health and Inflammation Research, who wasn't involved in the study.

There is currently no cure, so existing treatments aim to alleviate the symptoms. Hormonal medications can stall the menstrual cycle to limit the growth and inflammation of the lesions, while surgery can physically remove lesions. However, the former can come with side effects, such as nausea and mood swings, and lesions often regrow after surgery. So additional options are needed.

In previous research with mice , study co-author Kanako Hayashi , a professor in the Washington State University School of Molecular Biosciences, identified a group of rogue immune cells specific to endometrial lesion tissue. These cells turbocharged the painful inflammatory reactions and drove the growth of more of this problematic tissue.

The cells also happen to have a unique chemical label, called a folate receptor, which makes them an excellent potential drug target. But why start from scratch when there's an existing medication that might do the trick?

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