Emerging therapies for overactive bladder: preclinical, phase I and phase II studies.

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Pharmacology
• Nephrology

Background:

• Overactive bladder (OAB) syndrome is a prevalent condition impacting quality of life and incurring substantial economic costs.
• Current pharmacologic therapies for OAB often face limitations due to insufficient efficacy and undesirable side effects, hindering patient persistence.
• Advances in understanding OAB pathophysiology reveal roles for ion channels, the autonomic nervous system, and enzymes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current standard of care for overactive bladder.
• To focus on investigational drugs in preclinical and early-phase clinical trials (Phase I and II) for OAB management.
• To explore novel therapeutic targets beyond established mechanisms.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature review was conducted using PubMed and Cochrane databases.
• Clinical trials registered in the United States were also reviewed.
• The review focused on emerging drug candidates and their underlying mechanisms of action.

Main Results:

• Current OAB therapies exhibit limitations in efficacy and tolerability.
• Emerging drug candidates target alternative pathways, including ion channels and enzymes.
• These novel approaches may offer more personalized and effective OAB management strategies.

Conclusions:

• Targeting novel pathways in OAB pathophysiology presents a promising avenue for developing improved treatments.
• Investigational drugs affecting ion channels and enzymes may provide valuable alternatives to existing OAB therapies.
• A more tailored approach to OAB management could be achieved by addressing these alternative pathways.