$363,000 to Identify Markers of Pain in Endometriosis Awarded to St Louis Scientists
Mar 24, 2017
"Our goal is to take this exciting basic science work a step further and study to see if these molecules can serve as biomarkers in people, helping us to identify patients who would and who would not benefit from drugs that target this pathway and providing a more personalized approach to pain treatment," Salvemini explained.
The Mayday Fund awarded $363,000 to a researcher at St. Louis University to continue her work into a pain pathway in endometriosis and other conditions.
The award could help the researchers develop new, safer and non-addictive painkillers.
Dr. Daniela Salvemini will investigate whether two molecules, called sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor subtype 1 (S1PR1) and A3 adenosine receptor subtype (A3AR) can be used as biomarkers of pain caused by endometriosis and other conditions.
"It is exciting to reach the moment when you can take your research from the laboratory to the clinic," Salvemini said in a press release.
Previous work by Salvemini had shown that higher levels of S1PR1 and/or A3AR are associated with the incidence and intensity of chronic pain. Salvemini and her team were able to block pain by blocking the pathways in which these two molecules are involved. This suggests that these molecules could be targeted for treatment. The good news is that a drug that modulates S1PR1 already exists while one that might modulate A3AR is in clinical trial.
In her new project, Salvemini will investigate whether S1PR1 and A3AR can be used as biomarkers of pain in the clinic to determine which patient’s pain are caused by this pathway.
"Our goal is to take this exciting basic science work a step further and study to see if these molecules can serve as biomarkers in people, helping us to identify patients who would and who would not benefit from drugs that target this pathway and providing a more personalized approach to pain treatment," Salvemini explained.
Salvemini will collaborate with Dr. Patrick Yeung Jr, associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology and women's health at the Center for endometriosis, St Louis University, to study patients with endometriosis as well as with other clinicians for other conditions such as chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), interstitial cystitis and vulvodynia, or chronic vulvar pain.
"The direct and indirect economic costs of endometriosis, which is mostly from pain and lost productivity, is estimated to be upwards of $20 billion annually in the US alone,” said Yeung. “Having a better way to treat endometriosis-related pain that does not just treat symptoms and without the negative side effects of high-dose anti-inflammatories or narcotics, is long overdue. We must do better do better for women, and this research collaboration has great potential.”
The Mayday Fund was founded in 1993 and since then awarded a total $19.4 million for projects to “close the gap between knowledge and practice in the treatment of pain”.
