Endometriosis affects 10% of women of reproductive age, which equates to approximately 190 million women worldwide. Treatment options, however, are limited, and new therapeutic agents are urgently needed.
Research to be conducted at the NDDC will search for new first-in-class drugs that can be used in endometriosis patients to inhibit a key receptor found on inflammatory cells in the body.
The lead biology investigators are Dr Thomas Tapmeier, Head of Uterine Biology and Gynaecological Disease Group, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University and Professor Beverley Vollenhoven, Head of Department, Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Monash University and Clinical Director of Gynaecology at Monash Health.
Dr Tapmeier has dedicated years of research to identifying the importance of the receptor and its potential as a novel target for future endometriosis medications. Previously working at the University of Oxford, he has shown that inhibition of this receptor reduced pain and inflammation in mouse models of endometriosis. The funding boost by the NDDC will accelerate efforts to identify new inhibitors.
“We are very hopeful that this new target for endometriosis might allow for treatment of the pain and inflammation typical for the condition without interfering with ovulation and conception,” Dr Tapmeier said.
Collaborating on the project is Professor Paul Stupple of Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS) and the Australian Translational Medicinal Chemistry Facility (ATMCF) at Monash University.
