Pharmaceutical company Wyeth has released the results of a study of its new tissue selective estrogen complex (TECS), menopause drug Aprela, a combination of conjugated estrogens and bazedoxifine, an experimental selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM), designed to prevent and treat postmenopausal osteoporosis.
Results of the study of 3,400 women showed that the drug reduced hot flashes and improved sleep problems, but did not increase breast tenderness. The fact that the drug does not increase breast tenderness is important because increased breast tenderness is one of the main reasons why women choose to stop taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Other studies on Aprela have shown that the drug improves bone mineral density, and, at high doses, reduces excess growth of the endometrium, which can cause breakthrough bleeding and may cause cancer.
News release: Retrospective Analysis of Phase 3 Data Suggest Wyeth’s Investigational Compound Bazedoxifene / Conjugated Estrogens Comparable to Placebo on Incidence of Abnormal Mammograms. Wyeth website. September 25th 2008.
