Researchers from Southampton have developed a drug known as ‘VA111913’ in order to deal with the cause of torturing monthly stomach pains that leave some women bedridden.

The new VA111913, which can be taken as a prescribed drug, is presently going through its second stage of screening and is being tested on 128 women, aged between 18 and 35, in Britain and America.
 
The study partakers will be given the drug for six days during their periods. If the drug is proved to be successful, then it could hit the market by next four years.
 
Dr. Jim Phillips, chief executive of Vantia Therapeutics, the Southampton-based company behind drug’s innovation, is positive the drug will be a success.

Dr. Phillips said, “I think it would be fair to call it a breakthrough, there is certainly no other treatment like it. From our research there is nothing to suggest it won't work.”

There are various painkillers available in the market to stop the menstrual pain temporarily, but there is presently no cure particularly designed to prevent the pain completely.

Hilary McElwaine-Johnn, Vantia Therapeutics’s chief medical officer, stated, “We found that what was on the market did not meet the need of those women who can't even get to work or school because of the pain.”

Researchers also said that ‘VA111913’ functions by targeting the muscles, which contract in the uterus wall, by doing this scientists believe this will stop the pain.

Dr Phillips said: "This had the potential to directly target the cause of dysmenorrhoea by acting on the smooth muscle in the uterus wall.

"We believe this could offer and effective alternative to the over-the-counter painkillers."