Development of a Novel Biologic to Treat Preeclampsia

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): ABSTRACT Preeclampsia (PE) is a pregnancy-induced hypertensive disorder without an effective treatment. The goal of this project is to produce a novel biologic for treatment of PE. PE is the leading cause of pregnancy-related morbidity and mortality in the US, affecting over 200,000 pregnant women and newborns annually, at a significant cost to the healthcare system and lifelong consequences. PE is characterized by the onset of hypertension and proteinuria and can lead to more serious complications, such as seizure (eclampsia) and HELLP syndrome associated with systemic organ failure and death. Current interventions to treat PE include magnesium sulfate as an anticonvulsant and antihypertensive drugs, which manage symptoms but do not target the underlying causes of the disease. One potential cause of PE is hypothesized to be an imbalance of angiogenic factors, specifically antiangiogenic sFlt1 and proangiogenic PlGF. Higher sFlt1:PlGF ratios correlate with increased s