Novelty

This technology is a non-invasive development of a test for the diagnosis and monitoring of endometriosis.  

Potential Benefits

• Novel marker levels provide diagnostic for endometriosis and as an indicator of the progression/regression of the disease.
• The marker may also be a therapeutic target for the treatment and/or prevention or to monitor progression of endometriosis.
• Useful as an indicator of the aggressiveness of the disease for managing endometriosis.

Description

The endometrium is the tissue that lines the uterus and is normally shed each month during the menstrual cycle. However, in endometriosis, the misplaced endometrium is unable to exit the body and is found to be growing outside the uterus, on or in other areas of the body.

It is a condition which is estimated to affect 90 million women worldwide, representing between 1 and 7% of women in the general population, and up to 30% of those undergoing laparoscopy for chronic pelvic pain are diagnosed with endometriosis.

Therefore, strong demand exists for a fast, accurate, and minimally invasive test for the diagnosis of endometriosis, since current methods involve physical exam., laparoscopy and biopsy, each of which has limitations.

This McMaster inventor has developed novel non-invasive methods, assays and kits for detecting and monitoring the progress of endometriosis.

Development Stage

Test data available. Work is continuing on production of analogues and their optimization.

IP Status

US provisional patent filed.