Non-hormonal drugs show promise for moderate to severe menopause symptoms

Up to 80% of women will experience vasomotor symptoms during menopause, including hot flashes and night sweats. While hormone therapy can alleviate some of these symptoms, contraindications prevent some women from taking advantage of it. Fortunately, promising non-hormonal treatments are coming onto the market that tackle hot flushes head-on.In May 2023, the approval of Veozah (fezolinetant) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was a blast of cool air for women. Designed to treat moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms of menopause, fezolinetant blocks the activity of the NK3 receptor, which plays a role in regulating body temperature. Health Canada is currently reviewing it for approval. Non-hormonal drugs are now on the rise, with a new player in the treatment of menopausal symptoms. Elinzanetant has just completed a Phase 3 clinical trial, the results of which were published in August in the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA). “Due to individual risk factors, medical contraindications or personal preferences, there is a tremendous need to develop new, safe and effective non-hormonal treatments for vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause,” said Dr. JoAnn Pinkerton, lead author of the study and professor of gynecology and obstetrics at the University of Virginia school of medicine.Elinzanetant targets both NK1 and NK3 receptors. By antagonizing these two receptors simultaneously, the researchers hypothesized that this treatment could improve not only vasomotor symptoms, but also sleep quality and overall mood.Efficacy maintainedIt was a winning bet: The OASIS 1 and OASIS 2 trials showed that after 12 weeks of treatment, 67% of participants had reduced the frequency of their vasomotor symptoms by 50%. Efficacy was also maintained over time. After six months’ treatment, 80% of participants saw their hot flushes reduced by half.In addition to conclusive results on the alleviation of vasomotor symptoms, elinzanetant also improved sleep quality in several women. Patients taking part in the study received either a daily oral dose of 120 mg of elinzanetant or a placebo.Headaches and fatigue were the most common side-effects associated with elinzanetant treatment but remained mild. However, in the case of fezolinetant, the FDA recently issued a warning about rare cases of liver damage linked to its use.More than a third of menopausal women experience severe symptoms, which can last up to 10 years after their last menstrual period.This article was translated from its original French and first appeared on our sister site Profession Santé.

Non-hormonal drugs show promise for moderate to severe menopause symptoms

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