Drugs that control for the angiogenesis process in other life threatening diseases may be effective in treating a wide range of cardiovascular, pulmonary, and other diseases. NIH basic research found that an antipsychotic drug is highly effective in treating patients with severe schizophrenia. NIH funded researchers are investigating the effects of drugs of abuse on nerve cells and the physiological properties of tissues and cells affected by dopamine, the chemical associated with the euphoric effects of drugs. These findings could lead to therapeutic alternatives such as the development of medications to treat addiction by blocking the effects of dopamine. NIH researchers are currently looking into the mechanisms of lung destruction in LAM, understanding the role of and rationale for hormonal therapies, and developing alternative therapies based on the unique presence of tumor antigens in the smooth muscle cells of LAM patients.
Osteoporosis is characterized by a breakdown of the cells that build strong bones.
Current treatments, such as hormone replacement and anti-resorptive drugs are not appropriate or effective in all instances of bone loss, necessitating continued investigations into novel therapies. The EB child's skin is extremely fragile and the slightest friction can cause painful blistering. Patients with severe EB have blisters covering their body that resemble serious burns. After three decades of studying the molecular biology of skin membrane, new clues and insights into the disease were discovered. Industry was attracted to the study of EB when patients with EB wounds were used in a drug study approved by the FDA and now widely used as a prescription antibiotic for skin infections.