Metrodora Institute

Last updated
Metrodora Institute
Metrodora logo.svg
Geography
Location3535 South Market Street, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Organization
Funding For-profit hospital
Type Specialist
History
OpenedApril 19, 2023;16 months ago (2023-04-19)
Links
Website www.metrodora.co
Lists Hospitals in Utah

Metrodora Institute is a clinic in the Salt Lake City, Utah area specializing in treating complex medical conditions.

Named for Metrodora, an ancient Greek female physician and author, the clinic was co-founded in 2021 by Instacart CEO Fidji Simo, Laura A. Pace, and James Hemp. Simo explained that she started Metrodora because of difficulties she had in getting care for her personal health problems of endometriosis and POTS. [1] In 2021, it was slated to open in the summer of 2022, but it ultimately opened its doors on April 19, 2023, with funding from Simo herself and a venture capital firm. [1] [2] [3]

Metrodora treats illnesses it describes as "neuroimmune axis disorders", such as endometriosis, migraines, long COVID, ME/CFS, and POTS using a multidisciplinary approach that permits doctors from multiple specialties to collaborate. [2] These conditions have limited treatment options and Metrodora's CEO considers them neglected. [4] A nonprofit arm called the Metrodora Foundation collaborates with pharmaceutical and technology companies to perform research. [5] Patients can participate in clinical trials and contribute samples to a biobank. As of May 2023, Metrodora is participating in a trial of efgartigimod for POTS. [2] [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Endometriosis</span> Disease of the female reproductive system

Endometriosis is a disease in which cells like those in the endometrium, the layer of tissue that normally covers the inside of the uterus, grow outside the uterus. It occurs in humans and a limited number of menstruating mammals. Lesions can be found on ovaries, fallopian tubes, tissue around the uterus and ovaries (peritoneum), intestines, bladder, and diaphragm; and may also occur in other parts of the body. Symptoms include pelvic pain, heavy and painful periods, pain with bowel movements, painful urination, pain during sexual intercourse and infertility. Nearly half of those affected have chronic pelvic pain, while 70% feel pain during menstruation. Up to half of affected individuals are infertile. About 25% of individuals have no symptoms and 85% of those seen with infertility in a tertiary center have no pain. Endometriosis can have both social and psychological effects.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome</span> Abnormally high heart rate after a postural change

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pelvic pain</span> Medical condition

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Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. is an American biopharmaceutical company founded in 1992. The company is headquartered in San Diego, California, and led by CEO Kevin Gorman. Neurocrine develops treatments for neurological and endocrine-related diseases and disorders. In 2017, the company's drug valbenazine (Ingrezza) was approved in the US to treat adults with tardive dyskinesia (TD).

Congenital myasthenic syndrome (CMS) is an inherited neuromuscular disorder caused by defects of several types at the neuromuscular junction. The effects of the disease are similar to Lambert-Eaton Syndrome and myasthenia gravis, the difference being that CMS is not an autoimmune disorder. There are only 600 known family cases of this disorder and it is estimated that its overall frequency in the human population is 1 in 200,000.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fidji Simo</span> French businessperson

Fidji Simo is a French-American businessperson and the CEO and Chair of Instacart. Before Instacart, she spent a decade at Facebook where she was one of the top executives and led the Facebook App. She co-founded The Metrodora Institute, a health clinic and research institute, and is currently president of The Metrodora Foundation. She is on the Board of Directors at OpenAI and Shopify.

Delix Therapeutics is an American biotech company based in Boston, Massachusetts. The company develops novel neuroplasticity-promoting therapeutics for central nervous system (CNS) diseases such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It was co-founded in 2019 by David E. Olson and Nick Haft.

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References

  1. 1 2 Aspan, Maria (October 4, 2021). "Why Instacart's new CEO is also launching a women's health startup". Fortune. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 Brodwin, Erin (2023-04-19). "Metrodora raises $35M to address neuroimmune disease". Axios . Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  3. "Metrodora Institute Launches to Advance the Treatment of Complex Neuroimmune Diseases and Accelerate the Path to Cures". Metrodora Institute. April 19, 2023. Retrieved 2023-05-20 via Cision PRNewswire.
  4. Swanson, Jacob (2023-08-18). "Metrodora Institute is exploring 'the most exciting medical frontier'". Utah Business. Retrieved 2023-09-22.
  5. Dalrymple, Rachel (2021-12-17). "Utah-based startup, The Metrodora Institute wants to end neuroimmune disorders". Utah Business. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  6. Taylor, Nick (2023-04-19). "Metrodora opens neuroimmune research center in Salt Lake City, reveals first biotech partners". Fierce Biotech. Retrieved 2023-05-20.