United States approves first drug to treat menopausal hot flashes
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first drug for menopausal hot flashes. a drug to treat hot flashes caused by menopause.
The non-hormonal drug fezolinetantsold under the brand name Veozah and developed by Japanese pharmaceutical company Astella Pharma, is now available by prescription to women throughout the United States.
There are several supplements and hormones on the market to alleviate menopausal hot flashes, but this new drug attacks the cause of hot flashesas reported in the Daily Mail.
The drug treats moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms, such as hot flashes and night sweats. Veozah, with the active ingredient fezolinetant, is designed to. block a chemical that modulates the activity of nerve cells in the part of the brain that regulates body temperature.
Janet Maynard, director of the Office of Rare Diseases, Pediatrics, Urologic and Reproductive Medicine in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said, “Hot flashes as a result of menopause can be a serious physical burden for women. and affect their quality of life.”
“The introduction of a new molecule to treat the moderate to severe menopausal hot flashes. will provide an additional safe and effective treatment option for women,” Maynard added.
Veozah is not a hormone and instead targets the brain activity that causes hot flashes during menopause. It should be taken one 45 milligram pill once a day with or without food, at the same time every day.
The most common side effects of Veozah are abdominal pain, diarrhea, insomnia, back pain, hot flashes, and elevated liver transaminases. The prescribing information includes a warning of elevated liver transaminase or liver damage.
Before taking the drug, women should have a blood test to check for liver damage or infection. While taking it, patients should have blood tests every three months during the first nine months using the drug.
