Long-lasting bladder treatment for urinary leaks and urgency in older adults
Official title: Novel treatment for urinary incontinence and overactive bladder symptoms in the elderly
Funded at Dignify Therapeutics, LLC · NIH-11182543 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project is creating bladder-instilled medicines that aim to give months of relief from urinary leaks and urgent urges in older adults who haven't been helped by current treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 1 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Dignify Therapeutics, LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Research Triangle Park, United States) |
| Project start | September 5, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $110,040 |
| NIH project number | 5R43AG088838-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11182543 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Older adults with urinary incontinence or overactive bladder symptoms who have not responded to standard treatments, including those in assisted living or with cognitive impairment, would be the most relevant candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People whose leakage is caused primarily by structural bladder abnormalities, active urinary infection, or who cannot tolerate bladder instillations may not benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
Researchers are developing drug formulations that are placed directly into the bladder to block the nerve endings that cause urgency and leakage. They plan to make formulations that stay active for more than three months and will test the drugs in lab and preclinical models before moving toward patient testing. Delivering the drug directly into the bladder is intended to concentrate effect at the target and reduce side effects throughout the body. If the approach works, it could offer a longer-lasting option for people, including those with dementia, who do not respond to current therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could provide months-long relief of incontinence and urgency with fewer systemic side effects, easing caregiver burden and potentially reducing nursing home placement.
How similar studies have gone: Local bladder treatments (for example botulinum injections or short-acting instillations) have helped some patients before, but the specific long-lasting nociceptor-blocking formulations proposed here are novel and less tested in people.
Where this research is happening
-
Dignify Therapeutics, LLC
Research Triangle Park, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhang, Qiaojuan — Dignify Therapeutics, LLC
- Study coordinator: Zhang, Qiaojuan
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Culturally tailored AI-assisted digital therapy for bladder symptoms in Black women
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.