Dichloroacetate shows promise for the treatment of endometriosis

Dichloroacetate (DCA), a drug typically used to treat metabolic diseases in children, is showing promise for the treatment of endometriosis and might be available for that purpose as early as 2030.This spring will see the launch of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled feasibility trial (called EpIC2) to evaluate dichloroacetate in the management of endometriosis-associated pain. The research is led by Andrew Horne, professor of gynecology and reproductive sciences at the University of Edinburgh.Endometriosis, wherein cells similar to those that line the uterus grow elsewhere in the body, affects approximately 176 million women worldwide or one out of 10. There is no cure, and the associated expenses for treatment and lost productivity in Canada are estimated to be $1.8 billion, according to the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada.Symptoms can be incapacitating and include intense pain, fatigue, gastrointestinal problems, painful menstruation, discomfort during sexual activity, and infertility.Read: Chronic pelvic pain affects up to 26% of women—our latest research brings us closer to better treating itExisting management options, including hormonal contraception, laser surgery, and hysterectomies, may lead to additional complications for individuals affected by the condition and often prove inadequate in controlling its progression.Earlier research showed that women diagnosed with endometriosis exhibit higher levels of lactate, a detrimental by-product of glucose metabolism, compared to those without the condition. After the first phase of the trial, Horne and his team wrote that the increased lactate creates an environment conducive to the growth and spread of endometriosis cells. Targeting these cells with DCA showed promise in reducing lactate production, potentially arresting the disease’s progression and reducing pain. In the first phase of the clinical trial, women who received DCA reported significant improvements in symptoms and had less need for pain medication during menstruation.The hope is that DCA could receive approval in the U.K. for endometriosis within the next five years.“We’re really excited about the next phase of the trial. There have been very few trials of non-hormonal treatments, and so we are largely the leaders in this field,” Horne told London-based paper the Telegraph.“We hope the drugs will reduce the disease volume, and our studies so far have given us an indication that they don’t only affect the symptoms but the disease and prevent it from progressing,” he added.Read: Adenomyosis: From symptoms to treatment, two women’s health experts explain this little-known condition

Dichloroacetate shows promise for the treatment of endometriosis

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