Drug for dry eyes offers hope for those with incurable gynecological condition

Cheng Wong

An injectable medicine for dry eye syndrome can also serve as a repurposed treatment option to suppress endometriosis, Chinese University medical researchers say after an AI-driven meta-analysis of global studies.

Endometriosis, which occurs when tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus, impacting the pelvic area and ovaries, affects 5 to 15 percent of women of reproductive age worldwide.

The gynecological condition can lead to infertility and has no cure. While painkillers and hormone therapies may provide symptomatic relief, they also carry potential complications.

The CUHK research team used an AI platform to perform a meta-analysis of an endometriosis-associated dataset, searching for new therapeutic targets and looking for existing drugs to treat the condition.

The dataset did not include Hong Kong and consists mainly of data from Western countries, with some from Asia, including China and Japan.

Jacqueline Chung Pui-wah, clinical associate professor at the department of obstetrics and gynecology of CUHK Medicine, said data from Hong Kong and Asian countries are generally consistent.

Ronald Wang Chi-chiu, professor and division head from the same department, expressed hope for more research budget to include the city's data in future projects.

Wang said the potential drug found by the team is administered in injection form, and future collaboration with pharmacologists may explore the feasibility of oral use.

On possible prices, using a treatment for dry eye syndrome typically costs from HK$1,500 to HK$2,500 every month.

Currently, medication treatments such as over-the-counter painkillers cost about HK$50 to HK$200 per month, while surgical treatments such as laparoscopy range from HK$30,000 to HK$70,000.

"The treatment we previously offered was more hormonal and had long-term side effects and dependence. Now this drug for dry eye disease is non-steroidal and anti-inflammatory," Chung said.

"In the future, we hope to further investigate the clinical efficacy of the new therapeutic targets and conduct clinical trials directly to verify whether this 'old drug for a new use' can treat endometriosis," Wang said.

Since the drug is already being used to treat dry eye syndrome, its safety has been established.

cheng.wong@singtaonewscorp.com