A gene therapy that boosts the development of the placenta has been tested successfully in pregnant monkeys, a US study has shown, with the potential to reduce complications during and after birth.
The placenta forms in the womb during pregnancy and is vital for the health of the baby, providing oxygen and nutrients to the foetus via the umbilical cord.
The condition placental insufficiency occurs when this process does not work properly, which can lead to premature birth, or can result in health conditions in later life.
Research, at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the University of Florida, has aimed to improve pregnancies that are complicated by placental insufficiency, by developing a therapy that incorporates a gene coding for the human IGF-1 protein, which is important for normal placental development.
When the gene therapy was injected and delivered - via nanoparticles to pregnant macaques monkeys - to test its safety, the team saw that the gene was taken up by the animals and was present in their placentas after 24 hours, with no unintended effects, or harm to the either mother or foetus.
The next step is to investigate whether the therapy can extend to the third trimester in monkeys.
“Our goal is to improve placental function, extend pregnancies, and see more healthy babies and adults,” said Jenna Schmidt, at Wisconsin-Madison.