On 16 December 2011, the European Medicines Agency issued a positive opinion on Esmya, a tablet developed by Richter Gedeon for the preoperative treatment of uterine fibroids. It reduces the size of a uterine fibroid (a common benign tumour of the uterus), prevents uterine bleeding and reduces symptoms of anaemia.
Nearly 300 000 uterine fibroid operations are carried out in the European Union every year, of which 230 000 end in the removal of the uterus due to the size of the fibroid and the bleeding in the uterus. None of the harsh side effects of the existing medication (GnRH agonist) occur when taking Esmya, and the existing treatment is in the form of an injection, while the new drug can be taken orally. The active substance in Esmya reversibly inhibits the progesterone receptor in the target tissues.
The new medicine has successfully passed several clinical trials and has been recommended by the European Medicines Agency to be available in pharmacies across the EU, Russia and China in early 2012.
In other news, perhaps of more interest to you, Richter also has an endometriosis drug that will complete Phase 1b clinical trials this year. The new drug will only work on tissues that depend on oestrogen for their growth, blocking the effect of oestrogen on the tissues. Estrogen levels in the blood are unaffected, so the estrogen deficiency and its harsh side effects of conventional treatment, such as migraines, chronic headaches, weight gain, osteoporosis, hot flushes, irritability, depression - to name but a few - are not a problem.
Unlike the current injectable formulation, this will be an oral tablet.
Of course, it will take years for the drug to hit the shelves, but when it does, endometriosis treatment could finally reach a new milestone. Below are the links, if you can read English, read on.
References:
http://www.preglem.com/pages/
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