NU 2023-219

INVENTORS

Serdar E. Bulun*

Hong Zhao

SHORT DESCRIPTION

A new method of preventing and treating hernias in elderly men using progesterone antagonists.

BACKGROUND

Hernias are highly prevalent in elderly men due to fibrosis and weakening of the lower abdominal wall muscles, associated with increasing estrogen and decreasing testosterone levels in parallel with advancing age. However, current hernia treatment relies on surgical repair which may not be suitable for elderly patients and can lead to relapse. Few options are available for minimally invasive treatments and no non-invasive pharmacological treatment targets the underlying mechanism.

ABSTRACT

Northwestern University researchers have developed a new method of treating hernia with progesterone antagonists. By using a hernia-prone rodent model that expresses human aromatase, Dr. Serdar Bulun’s lab demonstrated that the conversion of testosterone to estrogen and the increased estrogen activity in the lower abdominal skeletal muscle tissues lead to fibrosis and hernia formation, a pathway that recapitulates aspects of hernia formation in elderly men. More importantly, progesterone receptor expression is regulated by estrogen receptor signaling, and progesterone treatment promotes hernia formation. Therefore, Dr. Bulun and his team at Northwestern developed a method that can be used to treat hernia in elderly men by blocking progesterone receptors using progesterone antagonists delivered orally or subcutaneously. In animal studies, progesterone antagonists prevented the formation of hernia and reversed the progression of small to medium sized hernia. This invention targets the underlying mechanism of hernia formation and appears to be one of the first non-invasive therapeutics for hernias.

APPLICATIONS

• Treatment of an inguinal hernia, a femoral hernia, an umbilical hernia, a hiatal hernia, an incisional hernia, and diastasis recti.

ADVANTAGES

• Non-invasive
• Compatible with patients who are not suitable for surgeries
• Well-tolerated with long term use
• Targets the underlying pathological mechanisms
• Prevents and halts the progression of hernias

IP STATUS

A provisional patent application has been filed.