WSU researchers develop potential new treatment for endometriosis

— Researchers at Washington State University have developed a potential new treatment for endometriosis that showed promising results in early testing.

The experimental therapy, which uses nanotechnology to deliver medication directly to diseased cells, reduced symptoms and slowed disease progression after a single dose in mice, according to a study published in Advanced Healthcare Materials.

Endometriosis is a debilitating disease affecting roughly 190 million women worldwide, 1 in 10 women, in which lesions similar to tissue inside the uterus grow outside the uterus.

The condition can cause chronic pain, severe cramping, infertility, and other symptoms.

The WSU team targeted a specific immune cell linked to the disease using a nanoparticle-based drug delivery system.

Researchers paired the technology with niclosamide, a medication already approved to treat intestinal tapeworm infections.

“We found the disease-specific immune cell, and then we had a drug, but we couldn’t target the cell with the drug alone,” said WSU professor Kanako Hayashi, a corresponding author of the study.

“So we used this nanocarrier that delivers the drug specifically to the disease site.” In mouse testing, the treatment reduced the number and size of endometriosis lesions and lowered pain sensitivity after just one injection.

Current endometriosis treatments often rely on hormone therapies or surgery.

Hormonal treatments can cause side effects such as hot flashes, infertility, and reduced bone density, while surgery may not provide long-term relief.

Researchers said the nanoparticle delivery system could help overcome limitations of niclosamide by making it easier for the body to absorb and allowing lower doses to be used over longer periods.

The report adds to ongoing university-led research relevant to veterinary medicine, animal health, and clinical decision-making.

university website: Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine