Upcoming drugs for the treatment of preeclampsia in pregnant women

Abstract

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy-specific multisystem disorder, complicating 2 – 8% of pregnancies, and represents a leading cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Recent investigations have elucidated the understanding of its underlying pathogenic mechanisms. However, despite these advances, therapeutic approaches are still severely limited. Ongoing lines of research indicate some potential novel therapeutic options, targeting the etiopathogenic pathways and, thus, offering hope for effective pharmacologic interventions to be available in the near future. In this editorial, we will give an updated overview of Preeclampsia pathogenesis and promising emerging therapeutic options.

Keywords::

• anti-digoxin antibody
• endothelial dysfunction
• ET_A receptor antagonists
• lipid apheresis
• mesenchymal stem cells
• nitric oxide modulators
• Preeclampsia
• recombinant human antithrombin
• RLX030
• statins

Financial & competing interests disclosure

MJ Paidas receives research funding from BioIncept LLC, Grifols and rEVO Biologics. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Key issues

• Preeclampsia (PE) is a pregnancy-specific multisystem disorder, still representing a leading cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide.

• The lack of effective pharmacologic therapeutic approaches, especially in preterm PE, is a serious health concern in clinical obstetrics.

• Recent research has led to an improved understanding of the underlying pathogenic mechanisms, the crucial role of disease progression from pre-clinical to overt clinical manifestations

• Ongoing lines of research indicate potential novel therapeutic options, specifically targeting etiopathogenic pathways.

• Areas of emphasis include fostering quality hypothesis-driven research across scientific and medical disciplines; educating patients about the dangers of PE and its long-term maternal consequences and encouraging care providers to adhere to evidence-based practice guidelines for the prevention, treatment and detection of PE.