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Modulation of Small Biomolecule Levels for the Treatment of Priapism and Erectile Dysfunction

Market: Erectile dysfunction (ED) affects some ten million men and has remained in the news due in large part to the improving treatments for this disorder. The ED market grew 3.5% from 2004 to 2005 to total $1.95 billion, and will likely grow for the foreseeable future. Likewise, priapism affects 40% of those suffering from sickle cell disease, leukemia patients, and those taking various therapeutics, from antidepressants to commonly prescribed ED drugs. The current market for drugs to treat sexual disorders is estimated at $3.8 billion, and is expected to increase 74% by 2012.

Current Problems: The mechanisms that cause priapism are poorly understood but are believed to involve complex neurological and vascular factors acting in concert. At this time, treatments for priapism are limited to a few drugs, aspiration of the accumulated blood, and the placement of shunts in the patient. If left untreated, the excess blood may become ischemic or thrombitic and leave the patient with fibrotic tissue and, eventually, a loss of erectile function. Additionally, causes of ED are broad and currently available drugs address some of these causes, while not addressing others. Also, some of the side effects of these treatments have caused concern recently.

Clearly, there is a need to keep broadening the treatment options for ED and priapism, and a single system which could explain the causes of both afflictions while offering a treatment for each would be a welcome advancement.

The Technology: Scientists at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHSC-H) have identified and detailed the biochemical pathway which may cause both disorders. Through the modulation of a single biomolecule, UTHSC-H’s researchers have been able to treat both priapism and ED in an in vivo system. This method of treating priapism and ED shows great promise for treating these two disorders, and gives patients the hope of better treatments in the future.

UTHSC-H Ref. No.: 2006-0047
Inventor(s): Dr. Yang Xia, Dr. Michael Blackburn, and Dr. Rodney Kellems
Patent Status: PCT/US2007/022520; Publication No. WO2008/066627
License Available: world-wide; exclusive or non-exclusive

Download Summary (2006-0047)