Posted by Article on 4/2/2002, 10:55 am

EmerGen Establishes Endometriosis as a Genetic Disorder NOTE: The following article appeared on March 20, 2002. This copy is provided herein for information purposes only. All content copyright © 2002 by PRNewswire. SALT LAKE CITY, March 20 /PRNewswire/ -- EmerGen, a gene discovery and biopharmaceutical company, found strong evidence confirming endometriosis is an inherited disorder. Endometriosis is one of the most common diseases in women with estimates up to 10 percent during the reproductive years. The disease can lead to pelvic pain and infertility. Current therapies for endometriosis (surgical and hormonal) are costly, carry significant risks and side effects, and have limited success. Future genetic based treatments may provide better options for women with endometriosis. At the World Conference on Endometriosis, Dale Hull, M.D. presented the family histories of 719 women with a surgical diagnosis of endometriosis. In these families, the number of sisters and mothers with endometriosis was higher than expected. "These findings confirm there is an increased risk of developing endometriosis for first-degree relatives and strongly suggests this condition has a genetic basis. If women have symptoms suggestive of endometriosis and they have a mother or sister who have been diagnosed, we would strongly encourage them to seek medical evaluation," advised Dr. Hull. In this study of extended family histories, endometriosis was found more often in distant relatives than previously reported in the medical literature. Also, endometriosis was found more frequently on the mother's side of the family tree. This is the first population-based study to show these findings. Ken Ward, M.D., EmerGen's Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, noted, "The Utah population is unique for studying the genetics of disease. We have a diverse population with large families who are informed about their family history and are enthusiastic about this type of research. There isn't another population like this, concentrated in one area, that provides these advantages." Currently thousands of Utah women and their families are involved in a larger study of endometriosis. "EmerGen's goals are to find the gene or genes that cause endometriosis, develop a diagnostic test and ultimately develop a drug to treat the condition," said Richard Jackson, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer for EmerGen. EmerGen is a privately held biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery of novel therapeutics and diagnostics to address significant unmet medical needs in the area of women's health. EmerGen has amassed comprehensive databases and sample collections for conducting genetic, genomic, and proteomic research in the fields of women's health and reproductive biology. The company is also applying its expertise in the area of reproductive biology and genomics to develop novel drug targets by investigating early stage reproductive development processes which offer unique insights into cancer, immunosuppression, hypertension, and other major health problems. EmerGen intends to enter into a broad range of alliances to leverage its resources and accelerate development of products from discoveries in these areas. The company is based in the University of Utah Research Park in Salt Lake City, Utah. Endometriosis is a condition that occurs when tissue, similar to the lining of the uterus (endometrium), is present outside the uterus. Most often, endometriosis is found in the pelvis; although it can occur in other parts of the body. This tissue responds to hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle and thus the symptoms are often cyclic. Estimating the total number of women affected by endometriosis is difficult as surgery (laparoscopy or lapartomy) is required to make the diagnosis. Estimate of women affected by endometriosis range as high as 10% of women during their reproductive years. Current treatments for endometriosis (surgery and hormonal therapy) are costly, carry significant risks and side effects, and have limited success.