- Non-hormonal menopause drug
- UK approves Fezolinetant
- Targets hot flashes directly
A ‘blockbuster’ medication that prevents hot flashes by acting directly on the brain has been approved for use in the United Kingdom.
Fezolinetant has the potential to revolutionize the management of menopausal symptoms for women unable to use hormone replacement therapy or choosing not to take it.
Seven months after receiving approval from the Food and Drug Administration in the United States, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority granted authorization for the non-hormonal drug.
Professor Waljit Dhillo, an endocrinologist affiliated with Imperial College London, pioneered the development of the drug through his investigation into the potential of selectively targeting a brain region to alleviate hot flashes.
“This is a blockbuster drug that has the potential to change the game for women,” he declared.
A decade-long duration of severe distress and diminished quality of life may result from night perspiration and hot flashes.
“Before this, the only effective treatment available in the United Kingdom was hormone replacement therapy, which many women were unable to take for medical reasons.”
A large clinical trial determined that Fezolinetant, manufactured by Astellas Pharma, reduced the frequency of moderate to severe hot flashes by approximately 60% per day.
According to British Menopause Society representative Haitham Hamoda, the availability of fezolinetant will expand the options accessible to women, specifically those who are unable or unwilling to utilize HRT.
Professor Annice Mukherjee of the University of Coventry stated, “Night sweats and flushes hurt energy, sleep, and mood; therefore, additional treatment options are extremely welcome.”
