As many as 30-50% of all term pregnant women experience planned start of labor, which carries a high risk of complications for both mothers and infants. Dilafors preclinical studies show for the first time that the majority of these cases are related to a heparan sulfate, a naturally occurring polysaccharide that plays an important role contributing to cervical softening and efficient labor.

Tafoxiparin, the drug candidate in advanced clinical development 

Tafoxiparin, a proprietary heparan sulfate mimetic, has been shown in preclinical experiment and in clinical trials to supplement and fulfill the role of heparan sulfate, which is a prerequisite for the optimal effectiveness of priming of labor both by cervical ripening and facilitating the myometrial tissue for effective labor. Clinical studies show that when administered to term pregnant women tafoxiparin significantly improve the cervical ripening rate. Moreover 59 % of the pregnant women experienced a spontaneous onset of labor and/or a ripe cervix. Thereby tafoxiparin has the potential to reduce the incidence of complications associated with labor.