Endometriosis is estimated to affect over one million women (estimates range from 3% to 18% of women) in the United States.

Endometriosis is the growth of cells similar to those that form the inside of the uterus, but in a location outside of the uterus. It can grow on the ovaries, behind the uterus or on the bowels or bladder. Rarely, it grows to other parts of the body. This "misplaced" tissue can cause pain, infertility and very heavy periods. The pain is usually in the abdomen, lower back or pelvic areas.

Endometriosis affects women in their reproductive years and having trouble getting pregnant may be the first sign. The exact prevalence of endometriosis is not known, since many women may have the condition and have no symptoms. Severe cases may need surgery. [1]

Developing new medicines to treat endometriosis is a long and complex process, but an essential one in finding new and innovative treatments.

Find our more about endometriosis studies currently enrolling at Novartis, and connect to participating study centers by taking our online screening questionnaire.

[1] nlm.nih.gov/