title: From Pre-Clinical Studies to Clinical Trials: Generation of Novel Therapies for Pregnancy Complications.
abstract: Complications of pregnancy represent a significant disease burden, with both immediate and lasting consequences for mother and baby. Two key pregnancy complications, fetal growth restriction (FGR) and preeclampsia (PE), together affect around 10%-15% of all pregnancies worldwide. Despite this high incidence, there are currently no therapies available to treat these pregnancy disorders. Early delivery remains the only intervention to reduce the risk of severe maternal complications and/or stillbirth of the baby; however early delivery itself is associated with increased risk of neonatal mortality and morbidity. As such, there is a pressing need to develop new and effective treatments that can prevent or treat FGR and PE. Animal models have been essential in identifying and screening potential new therapies in this field. In this review, we address recent progress that has been made in developing therapeutic strategies for pregnancy disorders, some of which are now entering clinical trials.
authors.affiliation: Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre, Institute of Human Development, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9WL, UK. elizabeth.cottrell@manchester.ac.uk.|Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre, St. Mary's Hospital, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester M13 9WL, UK. elizabeth.cottrell@manchester.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Elizabeth C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Cottrell
authors.affiliation: Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre, Institute of Human Development, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9WL, UK. colin.sibley@manchester.ac.uk.|Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre, St. Mary's Hospital, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester M13 9WL, UK. colin.sibley@manchester.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Colin P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Sibley
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011247:Pregnancy
keywords: fetal growth restriction; preclinical trials in pregnancy; preeclampsia; pregnancy