Significant Breakthrough in Maternal Health

In an exciting development for maternal health, engineers at the University of Pennsylvania have achieved a significant breakthrough in treating pre-eclampsia, a serious condition affecting pregnant women that can lead to high blood pressure and restrict blood flow to the placenta and to the fetus. This condition, which occurs in approximately 3-5% of pregnancies, is among the top causes of stillbirths and premature births globally.

Current Medical Approaches

Currently, the medical approaches for managing pre-eclampsia focus primarily on alleviating symptoms rather than providing a cure. Patients often must resort to medications to lower blood pressure, bed rest, or premature delivery—all of which can pose moral dilemmas and health risks for both the mother and the child.

Research by Kelsey Swingle

Kelsey Swingle, a doctoral student in the lab of Associate Professor Michael Mitchell, is pioneering efforts to find an effective treatment. Recognizing the gap in women's healthcare, Swingle has turned her attention to lipid nanoparticles (LNPs)—the same delivery vehicles that enabled the mRNA in COVID-19 vaccines to penetrate human cells.

Groundbreaking Research Published

In her groundbreaking research recently published in Nature, Swingle assessed 98 different LNPs to determine which was most effective in delivering mRNA to the placenta and reducing hypertension in pre-eclamptic pregnant mice. The results revealed that one specific LNP was astonishingly effective, achieving more than 100 times the delivery efficacy of an FDA-approved LNP formulation.

Encouraging Results

Our LNP was able to successfully deliver an mRNA therapeutic that lowered maternal blood pressure throughout gestation and promoted improved fetal health and circulation within the placenta,” Swingle stated excitedly. She also noted an increase in the weight of the offspring at birth, indicating both maternal and neonatal health.

Next Steps in Research

While the team is on the threshold of developing this treatment for human application, Swingle had an initial uphill battle. She was tasked with creating a model for pre-eclampsia in pregnant mice, an area with limited research. The complexity of pregnancy biology means that many standard procedures are not applicable, requiring unique approaches in this field.

Methodology and Approach

Study methodologies involved inducing pre-eclampsia in the pregnant mice, followed by selecting the most efficient LNP from their library to deliver mRNA. In a remarkable one-time injection at 11 days of gestation, the treatment showed potential to cure pre-eclampsia through to the end of the pregnancy. The next steps will involve testing the treatment on larger animal models before moving into human clinical trials.

Importance of Testing on Larger Animals

Swingle emphasizes the importance of gauging how many doses larger animals, like rats and guinea pigs, may require. The guinea pig is especially intriguing due to its placental similarity to humans and a longer gestation period.

Inspiration in Women’s Health

With her Ph.D. nearing completion, Swingle not only advances significant research but also leads inspiration among her peers in women’s health. As the team considers launching a spin-off company to expedite getting their LNP-mRNA therapy to clinical trials, Swingle reflects on the ongoing quest for enhancing the treatment's efficacy and understanding the underlying mechanisms.

Conclusion and Future Updates

Stay tuned for updates on this revolutionary treatment, which could pave the way for better maternal health care and potentially save lives!