Target product profile for drugs to treat pre-eclampsia

Overview

Pre-eclampsia represents a significant burden to mothers and babies worldwide. There is an urgent need to identify new therapeutic agents to treat women with pre-eclampsia.

The World Health Organization (WHO) supports the development of missing health products that are needs-based and focused on public health priorities. WHO recognizes that access, equity, and affordability are integral parts of the innovation process and must be considered at all stages, not just after a product is developed.

The purpose of this target product profile (TPP) is to guide product developers and funders on the key characteristics and desired attributes of therapeutic agents that should be administered to pregnant women diagnosed with pre-eclampsia of any severity, accompanied by monitoring of maternal and fetal well-being. This TPP outlines the minimal and preferred characteristics of a medicine that should:

• delay or stop maternal disease progression;
• improve outcomes for women and their babies;
• be suitable for prescription or administration by skilled health personnel in any health care setting where pregnant women receive antenatal, childbirth or postpartum care, including in low- and middle-income countries.