Clinical Focus
Loss of voluntary control over bowel and bladder function is highly prevalent in many neurological conditions, as well as normal aging. Loss of voluntary control can result in either urinary and fecal incontinence or urinary and fecal retention, leading to secondary complications such as constipation, urinary tract infections, skin ulcerations, and eventually hospitalization. Current treatments are primitive, invasive (bladder catheters, manual bowel programs) and many individuals resort to wearing adult diapers for symptom management. Unfortunately, the severe consequences and unmet medical needs associated with bowel and bladder dysfunction are unrecognized, underappreciated, and under-reported due to the embarrassment and stigma associated with these conditions.
Our Strategy
Dignify is developing two novel drug programs to treat functional bowel and bladder disorders. Central to both programs is the concept of “on-demand, drug-induced, defecation and urination (i.e. voiding)”, where an individual can choose the appropriate place and exact time of voiding. This approach not only induces voiding for people with urinary and fecal retention but can also reduce incontinence accidents by allowing people to proactively empty their bowel or bladder when desired.
These novel drug candidates induce voiding within ~5 minutes of dose administration and all effects disappear within 10 minutes of voiding as the drugs are removed from the body. Our goal is to reduce the need for bladder catheters, manual bowel programs and adult wearables while simultaneously reducing the incidence of urinary tract and skin infections that often lead to hospitalization.
