Description:
- For the treatment of post-surgical lymphedema
- To encourage lymphangiogenesis in tissue
Abstract
Researchers at USC have recently demonstrated that the compound 9-cis retinoic acid (RA) stimulates the proliferation of lymphatic vessels without promoting tumor metastasis in mice. The drug is administered during surgery, releasing 9-cis RA into the surrounding tissue over the course of a few weeks. Mice treated with the 9-cis RA showed no discernible signs of lymphedema 45 days post-surgery, instead showing new lymphatic vessel growth in the affected area compared to untreated mice. This technology has the capacity to provide the first entirely pharmaceutical prevention method for surgical lymphedema that is safe to use in patients undergoing cancer therapy.
Benefit
- Safe for patients with a history of cancer
- Utilizes FDA-approved drug
- Requires no action from patients (100% compliance)
- Represents first effective drug-based treatment for lymphedema
Market Application
Lymphedema occurs when the lymphatic system fails to adequately drain fluid in the interstitial space, leading to debilitating pain and swelling of the affected region. In developed countries, it occurs most often as a result of cancer treatment as surgical removal of the tumor also requires the complete removal of nearby lymphatic vessels. In the US alone, there are an estimated 3 million people dealing with post-surgical lymphedema at any given time. There is currently no cure for lymphedema, with approaches instead focusing on symptom management. Typically, patients must use combined decongestive therapy whereby lymphatic fluid is manually drained. In addition to being costly and painful, this method is also difficult for patients to adhere to long-term, resulting in low compliance. While some pharmaceutical interventions have shown promise, these are currently not safe to use in patients with a history of cancer.
Publications
Other
- Proof-of-concept established in mice
- Next steps demonstrating efficacy in non-rodent animal models, exploring different administration methods