Preeclampsia

Disease

Preeclampsia is a disease that causes high blood pressure during pregnancy and is a serious obstetric complication with systemic organ damage and placental dysfunction. In particular, the disease is more likely to become severe when it occurs at less than 34 weeks’ pregnancy, known as premature onset, and requires special attention. In addition to elevated blood pressure and proteinuria in the mother, Severe cases can cause eclampsia, cerebral hemorrhage, liver and kidney dysfunction, liver dysfunction with hemolysis and thrombocytopenia, HELLP syndrome.
For the fetus, it can cause fetal growth retardation, early abruption of the normal placenta, fetal dysfunction, and in some cases fetal death, and is closely related to poor prognosis for the mother and child (1).

Patient

Preeclampsia is reported to occur in 1 in 20 pregnant women. It is estimated that the number of patients with early-onset preeclampsia, which is the target of TAGCyx, is about 1~2 out of every 1,000 pregnant women.

Current Treatment

Current treatment consists mainly of rest and hospitalization, with the use of medications for the prevention of cramps and for severe hypertension, but there is no known fundamental cure for this disease. Since the most effective treatment is to deliver the baby and terminate the pregnancy, there is a need to develop new treatments for the pathophysiology of preeclampsia.

TAGCyx’s Approach

TAGCyx has obtained a PoC (Proof of Concept) for a specific apheresis column using nucleic acid DNA aptamers. The efficient binding of aptamers to commercial beads, evaluation of the target protein adsorption capacity of aptamer-binding beads in vitro, and confirmation that the aptamer-binding beads can be sterilized have been confirmed.
In addition, we have acquired a development aptamer for a DNA aptamer that specifically binds to molecules related to the pathogenesis of preeclampsia and have confirmed the efficient binding of the aptamer to commercial beads and evaluation of the target protein adsorption capacity of the aptamer-binding polymer in vitro. We will proceed with animal study evaluation using the mini-columns to develop an apheresis column targeting preeclampsia.

[Reference]

公益財団法人日本産婦人科学会 Web site： https://www.jsog.or.jp/modules/diseases/index.php?content_id=6