The drug could be an alternative to hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which aims to relieve symptoms of menopause by replacing the hormones estrogen and progesterone.
Monday 18 December 2023 10:44 UK
A drug aimed at preventing hot flashes has been approved for use in the UK, potentially benefiting hundreds of thousands of women.
Veoza, also known as fesolinetant, was approved and given the green light for use in the United States by the US regulator Food and Drug Administration in May.
Hot flashes cause a sudden feeling of heat in the upper body. NHS Say. It can range from feeling overheated in a few seconds to sweating for an hour, which can disturb sleep and cause discomfort.
According to the NHS, it affects up to 80% of women going through menopause.
Veoza works by blocking a protein in the brain called neurokinin-3, which plays a role in regulating body temperature in menopausal women.
This drug does not address a wide range of symptoms that some women may experience, such as fatigue, muscle weakness, and mood swings.
“Hot flashes and night sweats due to menopause are common and can have a significant impact on a woman's daily life,” says Julien, Interim Executive Director for Quality and Access at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).・Mr. Beach said. Sky News.
“We are therefore pleased that our trust procedures have approved Veoza (fesolinetant) for the treatment of hot flashes and night sweats caused by menopause.
“We will not approve any drug that does not meet our expected safety, quality and efficacy standards. We continue to rigorously review the safety of all our medicines.”
Read more from Sky News:
Establishment of new standards for menopausal disorders in the workplace
NHS 'should offer menopausal treatment to women'
What is menopause and what are its symptoms?
This drug may be an alternative to Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) aims to reduce symptoms by replacing the hormones estrogen and progesterone, which decline to low levels as menopause approaches.
Despite being currently the most effective treatment for menopause, it is not suitable for many people, including some women with a history of breast or ovarian cancer, women with blood clots, and patients with untreated hypertension. There may not be.
Some women experience side effects or prefer non-hormonal alternatives.
“This is absolutely going to be a blockbuster drug,” Professor Walgit Dillo, an endocrinologist at Imperial College London who led the 2017 trials that led to the drug's development, told the Guardian.
“It's like a switch. Within a day or two, the redness goes away. The effectiveness of these drugs is incredible. It will be a complete game-changer for many women.”
The MHRA says Veoza has not yet been studied for safety and effectiveness in women over 65.
Officials from Astellas Pharma, which manufactures the drug, said the drug will first go on sale privately starting January 5 for people experiencing hot flashes associated with menopause, The Guardian reported. .
Astellas told the newspaper that the cost for one course of treatment has not yet been approved by the Department of Health and Human Services. In the US, a 30-day supply cost $550 (£430).
The company has reportedly started an application process with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to enable women to access NHS treatment.
