A UNMC research team has been awarded a $4.7 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to advance the development of a potentially groundbreaking treatment for preeclampsia, a life-threatening pregnancy disorder that affects millions of women worldwide.
The two-year project, led by Sarosh Rana, MD, professor and chair of the UNMC Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, will evaluate the safety and feasibility of a novel, naturally occurring compound as a clinical candidate to treat this condition.
Preeclampsia is one of the leading causes of maternal and fetal death globally, particularly in low-resource settings where access to specialized care is limited. The condition affects approximately 5-8% of pregnancies and is characterized by high blood pressure and organ damage that can rapidly progress to life-threatening complications. Currently, the only definitive treatment is delivery of the baby, often prematurely, leaving both mothers and infants at significant risk.
“For decades, we’ve been limited to managing symptoms while watching this disease progress,” Dr. Rana said. “This grant represents an extraordinary opportunity to change that paradigm. If this compound proves safe and effective, it could become the first true disease-modifying therapy for preeclampsia – a breakthrough that could save countless lives, especially in regions where early delivery isn’t a viable option.”
Dr. Rana’s laboratory has spent years investigating the mechanisms underlying preeclampsia and identifying potential therapeutic targets. Her team discovered that this compound, a naturally occurring bioflavonoid, can reduce circulating levels of a protein that plays a central role in the disease’s development. In preclinical studies, the compound has demonstrated the ability to improve vascular function, reduce inflammation and lower blood pressure in animal models of preeclampsia.
“We are excited about this award, and the impact Dr. Rana’s work may have,” said Bradley Britigan, MD, dean of the UNMC College of Medicine. “This new funding creates new avenues to advance this promising research.”
The Gates Foundation grant will fund a comprehensive program to “de-risk” this compound as a clinical candidate, including extensive safety testing and formulation development to create a patient-friendly treatment. The project will also generate the regulatory documentation necessary to advance toward human clinical trials.
“What makes this project particularly promising is the compound’s favorable safety profile and its affordability,” Dr. Rana said. “It’s a naturally occurring compound that’s stable at room temperature and inexpensive to produce. If our studies confirm its safety and efficacy, this could be a treatment that’s accessible to women everywhere—not just those in well-resourced healthcare systems.”
Dr. Rana will collaborate with researchers at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, led by Joey Granger, PhD, and Eric George, PhD, who specialize in in vivo models of preeclampsia. The University of Dundee Drug Discovery Unit in Scotland will provide project management expertise, while Wuxi AppTec will conduct the critical toxicology and formulation studies.
This grant builds on Dr. Rana’s previous proof-of-concept work funded by the Gates Foundation, which established the compound’s potential to address key pathways involved in preeclampsia. The current project represents the next critical step: generating the preclinical data needed to support first-in-human clinical trials.
“UNMC is committed to translating research discoveries into real-world treatments that improve lives,” Dr. Rana said. “This grant from the Gates Foundation empowers us to pursue that mission on a global scale. Preeclampsia doesn’t recognize borders, and neither should our solutions.”
UNMC Vice Chancellor for Research Ken Bayles, PhD, said: “Dr. Rana’s research on novel therapeutics for the treatment of preeclampsia has the potential to make a major impact on maternal and fetal health here in Nebraska, especially in the rural parts of our state where expectant mothers have limited access to healthcare. The support of the Gates Foundation not only demonstrates their confidence in Dr. Rana’s work, it also allows her to expand the impact of her research more globally.”