Washington State University researchers have engineered a targeted nanotherapy that could yield a medical breakthrough to treat endometriosis, a painful chronic disease affecting roughly 190 million women worldwide.

In recent laboratory testing using mice, a WSU team’s treatment reduced endometriosis symptoms and its progression after a single dose.

The next steps would be seeking drug approval for such treatment and then human research trials, with the latter perhaps five years away, said Kanako Hayashi, a professor in WSU’s School of Molecular Biosciences in the College of Veterinary Medicine.

The hope is that treatment could be a once-a-month injection.

“Endometriosis isn’t life-threatening, but for some women, it can destroy their life; sometimes patients are 24-7, they can’t get out of bed because of the pain, while others are OK,” Hayashi said.

She’s a corresponding autho…