New drugs to prevent preterm labor
Official title: Novel Designed Multi-Ligands as Tocolytics for Dysregulated Myometrial Pathways in the Treatment of Preterm Labor
Funded at University of Nevada Reno · NIH-10988018 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is working on new medications to help prevent preterm labor, which can be risky for babies born too early, by creating drugs that safely target the uterus without affecting the baby, and they will test these drugs in the lab and with animals to see how well they work.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Nevada Reno NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Reno, United States) |
| Project start | August 8, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $219,592 |
| NIH project number | 1R21HD112011-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-10988018 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are pregnant women at risk of preterm labor, particularly those affected by COVID-19 or from populations with higher rates of preterm birth, such as African American women.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not pregnant or those who are not at risk of preterm labor may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing novel multi-ligand drugs aimed at treating preterm labor, a condition that can lead to serious health issues for premature infants. The approach involves creating drugs that target specific pathways in the uterus while minimizing fetal exposure to these medications. By using advanced medicinal chemistry techniques, the researchers aim to generate compounds that are effective in stopping preterm labor and have favorable properties for safe use during pregnancy. The study will involve both laboratory experiments and animal models to test the effectiveness and safety of these new drugs.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new, effective treatments for preterm labor, potentially reducing the incidence of preterm births and improving outcomes for infants.
How similar studies have gone: While there have been various approaches to managing preterm labor, this specific method of using novel multi-ligand drugs is relatively new and has not been extensively tested in prior studies.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Nevada Reno
Reno, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Barnett, Scott Danielson — University of Nevada Reno
- Study coordinator: Barnett, Scott Danielson
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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.