Autoimmune Progesterone Dermatitis
Autoimmune progesterone dermatitis (APD) is a rare but debilitating condition characterized by skin manifestations triggered by an allergic reaction to progesterone, a female reproductive hormone. With a research team with extensive expertise in autoimmune diseases, our company is confident to provide customers with therapy development services for APD.
Overview of Autoimmune Progesterone Dermatitis
Autoimmune progesterone dermatitis (APD) is an autoimmune condition that occurs when the immune system mistakenly identifies progesterone as a harmful substance, leading to an allergic reaction. The symptoms of APD typically manifest during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle when progesterone levels are at their highest. Common skin manifestations include urticaria (hives), erythema (redness), angioedema (swelling), and pruritus (itching). APD is often misdiagnosed as a dermatologic disease, leading to delays in appropriate therapeutics.
Fig.1 Therapeutics in autoimmune progesterone dermatitis (APD). (Huang Y., et al., 2022)
Drug Discovery and Development for Autoimmune Progesterone Dermatitis
Therapeutics of APD involve suppressing ovarian ovulation and reducing progesterone levels during the luteal phase. Several drug therapies have shown promise in managing APD symptoms.
- GnRH Agonists: Intramuscular and intranasal gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists have been found to inhibit ovulation by interfering with pituitary-hypothalamus feedback regulation.
- Contraceptive Pills: Oral contraceptive pills containing low levels of progesterone have been successfully used to suppress ovulation and alleviate APD symptoms in many cases.
- Tamoxifen: This non-steroidal anti-estrogenic drug has shown efficacy in treating APD, particularly in menopausal women.
- 17-a-alkylated Steroids: Drugs like danazol, which depress the pituitary-hypothalamic response and interfere with gonadal hormone receptors, have demonstrated improvement in APD symptoms.
Our company has a diverse portfolio of therapeutic development platforms to provide you with solutions. Please click on the link below to learn more.
Small Molecule Drug
Probiotics Therapy
Therapeutic Antibody
Cell Therapy
Gene Therapy
Therapeutics Development
Our Services
Our company is at the forefront of developing innovative diagnostics and effective therapies for APD. Our dedicated team of researchers and scientists collaborates closely with pharmaceutical partners to bring novel therapeutic options to the market. Our comprehensive in vitro and in vivo studies pave the way for successful translation to human trials.
Our company employs various techniques to induce APD-like symptoms in animal models, ensuring they accurately represent the complexity of the condition. These techniques may involve sensitizing the animals to progesterone or using genetic modifications to replicate the immune dysregulation observed in APD.
We utilize primary human cells, such as keratinocytes, immune cells, and fibroblasts, to create an in vitro microenvironment that mimics the complex interplay between immune responses and skin cells seen in APD cases.
By utilizing patient-derived stem cells or genetically modified cells, we can generate organoids that mimic the skin and immune system interactions observed in APD. These organoids can be used to study the effects of progesterone exposure, immune dysregulation, and the role of specific cell types in driving disease progression.
Our organization excels in offering preclinical research services aimed at assessing the safety, efficacy, and mechanism of action of prospective therapeutic candidates. In addition to the aforementioned range of services and models, we also specialize in tailoring customized solutions and developing disease models that precisely align with your distinctive requirements. Should our array of services capture your interest, we warmly encourage you to reach out to us without hesitation.
Reference
- Huang Y., et al. "Whole course of treatment of autoimmune progesterone dermatitis that had spontaneously resolved during pregnancy: A case report and review of the literature." Frontiers in Immunology 13 (2022): 939083.