We developed a comprehensive database of medicines that are used or are being investigated for pre-eclampsia or eclampsia, preterm birth or labour, postpartum haemorrhage, intrauterine growth restriction, and fetal distress and that were in active development between 2000 and 2021. A total of 444 candidates were identified: approximately half of candidates were in active development, two-thirds had been repurposed after initially being used for another condition, and just under half were in preclinical studies. Only 64 candidates were in active late-stage (phase 3) development as of Oct 25, 2021, and given the slow pace of biomedical development, it could take years before any of these products eventually make it to market. A lack of innovation for maternal health medicines persists, and the market continues to fail pregnant individuals. There is a need for collective action from all relevant stakeholders to accelerate investment in the development of new or improved medicines for pregnancy-related conditions.

中文翻译：

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孕产妇保健领域的药物荒：持续的困境


我们开发了一个综合数据库，其中包含用于或正在研究用于治疗先兆子痫或子痫、早产或临产、产后出血、宫内生长受限和胎儿窘迫的药物，并且该数据库在 2000 年至 2021 年间正在积极开发。确定了 444 种候选药物：大约一半的候选药物正在积极开发中，三分之二的候选药物在最初用于另一种情况后已被重新利用，还有不到一半的候选药物正在进行临床前研究。截至 2021 年 10 月 25 日，只有 64 个候选产品处于活跃的后期（第 3 阶段）开发中，鉴于生物医学发展缓慢，这些产品可能需要数年时间才能最终推向市场。孕产妇保健药物仍然缺乏创新，市场继续令孕妇失望。所有相关利益攸关方需要采取集体行动，加快投资开发治疗妊娠相关疾病的新药或改良药物。