Innovative testosterone treatment for post-menopausal women
Innovative testosterone treatment for post-menopausal women
The team
David Haddleton, Professor of Polymer Chemistry, founded Medherant Limited with the help of Warwick Ventures.
The company aims to utilise novel transdermal drug delivery technology (TEPI technology) to develop innovative clinical treatments, including a testosterone patch designed to enhance the lives of post-menopausal women.
The challenge
There has been a lack of awareness and effective treatments for the symptoms of menopause, coupled with false misconceptions that have been mistakenly associated with hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Although menopause, and perimenopause, is typically associated with decreased oestrogen levels, testosterone levels in women also decline with age, which may result in some post-menopausal women suffering from low libido (hypoactive sexual desire disorder) as well as other symptoms associated with both natural and surgical menopause.
Testosterone replacement products can help to address this. However, there are no approved testosterone products for women in the UK and treatment is usually by off label use of products for men and mostly via private medical treatment.
Our approach
Medherant have harnessed their pioneering transdermal TEPI patch technology to develop a testosterone patch for post-menopausal women which is being tested through a Phase 1 clinical trial in London, UK.
Transdermal patches offer an alternative route of administration for drugs that are not ideally suited to oral administration, or are required to act over long time periods at constant delivery rates.
The TEPI technology means their patches have:
- Better adhesion, even when wet for up to 10 days
- Less irritation and residue left on removal
- Zero cold flow of the adhesive from beneath the applied patch
- Improved dose control compared to gels and creams
Haddleton explains: “In order for a transdermal patch to work, the most important thing is that it has to stick to the skin for an appropriate amount of time. It has to dissolve the right quantity of testosterone, or another drug, and deliver the required dose over the correct time period.”
Our Impact
Preliminary results of the Phase 1 study of Medherant’s patch demonstrate its ability to achieve blood testosterone levels similar to those in pre-menopausal women.
Further clinical studies are planned, including a study to investigate other potential benefits of testosterone therapy.
The success of Phase 1 is a significant step towards the company developing a licensed product and addressing post-menopausal women’s healthcare and wellbeing needs – a severely neglected area.