Testosterone Suppression for Dilated Cardiomyopathy Progression

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Solution Overview

Problem

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) progresses inexorably to symptomatic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), despite current therapies, leading to high mortality and poor quality of life, and existing research suggests testosterone (T) deficiency is deleterious in heart failure.

Innovation Solution

Administering androgen-deprivation drugs to lower circulating testosterone levels, using gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonists like degarelix, to treat and prevent DCM progression and heart failure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If current therapies are used to treat dilated cardiomyopathy, then symptomatic relief is provided, but the disease progresses inexorably to heart failure with reduced ejection fraction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisease progression blockingVSAvoidmortality rate

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying testosterone levels (a biochemical parameter) to alter the disease course. Specifically, it uses testosterone suppression to change the physiological state of cardiac tissue, thereby blocking disease progression and improving survival outcomes in DCM patients

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If testosterone levels are reduced to improve cardiac function, then systolic function is preserved and remodeling is slowed, but conventional wisdom suggests testosterone deficiency is deleterious in heart failure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystolic function preservationVSAvoidtestosterone deficiency harm

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional understanding by demonstrating that testosterone suppression (rather than replacement) benefits DCM patients. This counterintuitive approach shows that lowering testosterone levels preserves systolic function and reduces cardiac remodeling, contradicting the traditional view that testosterone deficiency is harmful in heart failure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Testosterone lowering improves cardiac contractility, reduces cardiac remodeling and edema, and prolongs survival by increasing cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) levels, thereby slowing DCM progression and improving heart function.

Implementation Method 1

administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist, wherein the GnRH antagonist reduces circulating T levels

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHormone receptor antagonism:

Implementation Method 2

Testosterone lowering improves cardiac contractility, reduces cardiac remodeling and edema, and prolongs survival by increasing cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) levels

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectcGMP level increase:

Data Source

PatentUS20250312409A1Methods of treating dilated cardiomyopathy and heart failure

Publication Date: 2025.10.09 THE ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS ON BEHALF OF THE UNIV OF ARIZONA

AI summary

Methods for repurposing a therapeutically effective amount of drugs that reduce circulating testosterone levels and/or activity (androgen-deprivation drugs) for treating, ameliorating, and/or preventing progression of dilated cardiomyopathy and heart failure. Reduction in circulating testosterone levels and/or activity is effective for treating, ameliorating, and/or preventing progression of dilated cardiomyopathy and/or heart failure in the subject.