Transcript Document

Efficacy and Safety Profiles of New and Emerging Menopause Treatments

Kathryn A. Martin, MD

Reproductive Endocrine Unit Massachusetts General Hospital Boston, Massachusetts

Hormone Products

Estrogen

– –

Low doses Alternate routes of administration

Progestins

Micronized progesterone

Progestin intrauterine device

Vaginal estrogen

Bioidentical hormones

Estrogen Dose Equivalents

Estrogen Standard CEE Oral E2 Transdermal E2 0.625 mg 1 mg 0.05 mg (50 µg) Ethinyl estradiol 5 µg

CEE = conjugated equine estrogen; E2 = estradiol.

Graphic courtesy of Kathryn A. Martin, MD.

Low Dose 0.3 mg 0.5 mg 0.025 mg (25 µg) 2.5 µg Ultra-Low Dose 0.014 mg (14 µg)

 

Low-Dose Estrogen

HOPE Trial

Women’s Health, Osteoporosis, Progestin, Estrogen (HOPE) trial 2600+ postmenopausal women with uterus, treated for 2 years

8 treatment groups and placebo

– – – – –

CEE 0.625 mg/d ± MPA 2.5 mg/d CEE 0.45 mg/d ± MPA 2.5 mg/d CEE 0.45 mg/d + MPA 1.5 mg/d CEE 0.3 mg/d ± MPA 1.5 mg/d Placebo

Endpoints: vasomotor symptoms, BMD, endometrial safety

CEE = conjugated equine estrogen; MPA = medroxyprogesterone acetate; BMD = bone mineral density.

Utian WH, et al.

Fertil Steril.

2001;75:1065.

CEE and Hot Flashes

HOPE Trial

100 80 60 Placebo 40 20 0 0 4 8 Week

Adapted from Utian WH, et al.

Fertil Steril

. 2001;75:1065, with permission from Elsevier.

CEE 0.45 mg/d CEE 0.3 mg/d CEE 0.625 mg/d 12

Ultra –Low-Dose Estrogen

ULTRA trial: Ultra –low-dose Transdermal Estradiol Assessment 1

Transdermal E2 (0.014 mg/day) vs placebo x 2 years

– –

N = 417 women, mean age 67 Asymptomatic population – no effect on hot flashes 2

Effective for hot flashes in trials of younger women (N = 425) 3

1. Yaffe K, et al.

Arch Neurol.

2006;63:945. 2. Diem S, et al.

Menopause.

2006;13:130. 3. Bachmann GA, et al.

Obstet Gynecol.

2007;110:771.

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CEE and Spine BMD

HOPE Trial

6 12 18 24 Month Placebo CEE 0.3 mg CEE 0.45 mg CEE 0.625 mg

CEE = conjugated equine estrogen; BMD = bone mineral density.

Reprinted from Lindsay R, et al.

JAMA

. 2002;287:2668, with permission from the American Medical Association.

Ultra –Low-Dose Estrogen and BMD

ULTRA Trial

BMD increased more in spine (2%) and hip (1.2%) vs placebo 1

Greater bone effect with lower endogenous E 2

1. Ettinger B, et al.

Obstet Gynecol.

2004;104:443. 2. Huang AJ, et al.

J Bone Miner Res.

2007;22:1791.

Endometrial Effects of Lower Doses of Estrogens

HOPE trial

Similar endometrial protection with lower doses + MPA compared with commonly prescribed doses 1

Less vaginal bleeding with low dose 2

ULTRA trial

No increased uterine bleeding or hyperplasia compared with placebo 3

Endometrial proliferation 8.5% vs 1.1% with placebo (NS) 3

Ability to use lower-dose progestins, but no consensus on correct progestin dosing 4

1. Pickar JH, et al.

Fertil Steril.

3. Archer DF, et al.

Fertil Steril.

2001;76:25. 2. Johnson SR, et al.

Obstet Gynecol.

2001;75:1080. 4. Ettinger B.

Am J Med.

2005;105:779. 2005;118:74.

Lipids

Safety Profile of Lower Doses of Estrogen

Increased HDL, decreased LDL (HOPE trial) 1 Stroke VTE Breast Vaginal symptoms Low dose protective, standard dose increased risk (Nurses’ Health Study) 2 Risk appears to be lower compared with standard dose 3 No increase in breast density vs placebo (ULTRA trial) 4 ; breast cancer risk unknown Increased vaginal discharge only (ULTRA trial for both) 5 ; less vaginal bleeding 6

HDL = high-density lipoprotein; LDL = low-density lipoprotein; VTE = venous thromboembolism.

1. Lobo RA, et al.

Fertil Steril.

2001;76:13. 2. Grodstein F, et al.

Ann Intern Med.

2000;133:933. 3. Jick H, et al.

Lancet.

1996;348:981. 4. Grady D, et al.

Menopause.

2007;14:391. 5. Diem S, et al.

Menopause.

2006;13:130. 6. Archer DF, et al.

Fertil Steril.

2001;75:1080.

Transdermal Estrogen

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Estrogen and Thromboembolism Risk (ESTHER) study 1

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Case-control study (271 cases, 610 controls) Lower risk of VTE compared with oral E2 (OR 4.2) Markers of inflammation unaffected 2 ; triglycerides decreased 3 ; less effect on SHBG and TBG 2 Less favorable for HDL and LDL changes 4 Patient preference important (transdermal vs oral) Wide range of dosing options (mg/d): 0.014, 0.025, 0.0375, 0.05, 0.075, 0.1

SHBG = sex hormone-binding globulin; TBG = thyroxine-binding globulin.

1. Canonico M, et al.

Circulation.

2007;115:840. 2. Shifren JL, et al.

Endocrinol Metab.

2008;93:1702. 3. Sanada M, et al.

Menopause.

2004;11:331. 4. Walsh BW, et al.

N Engl J Med.

1991;325:1196.

Other

Estrogen Preparations

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Topical estrogen

Estradiol gel: non-aerosol, metered-dose pump applied once daily (0.75 mg/1.25 g) on one arm 1

Estradiol topical emulsion: white lotion-like emulsion applied once daily (0.05 mg/2 pouches) 2

Low-dose preps: gels 3,4 and 1 topical spray 5 Vaginal ring

Delivers estradiol 0.05 or 0.10 mg/d 6

1. EstroGel 0.06% (estradiol gel). Prescribing information(PI). Montrouge, France: ASCEND Therapeutics, 2007. 2. Estrosorb (estradiol topical emulsion). PI. Bristol, TN: Graceway Pharmaceuticals, LLC, 2008. 3. Divigel 0.1% (estradiol gel). PI. Minneapolis, MN: Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc., 2007. 4. Elestrin (estradiol gel). PI. Fairfield, NJ: Kenwood Therapeutics, 2007. 5. Evamist (estradiol transdermal spray). PI. St.

Louis, MO: Ther-Rx Corporation, 2008. 6. Femring (estradiol acetate vaginal ring). PI. Rockaway, NJ: Warner Chilcott, 2008.

Progestins —Micronized Progesterone

Micronized progesterone vs medroxyprogesterone

Metabolic —does not negate beneficial effect of estrogen on lipids 1

Breast cancer: less risk with progesterone than synthetic progestins 2

Sleep: differential effects on sleep 3

1. [No Author.]

JAMA.

1995;273:199. 2. Fournier A, et al.

Breast Cancer Res Treat.

2008;107:103. 3. Montplaisir J, et al.

Menopause.

2001;8:10.

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Progestins —Levonorgestrel Intrauterine Device

Delivers 20 µg/day for 5 years 1 Local effects on endometrium with minimal systemic effects 1 ; prevents hyperplasia 2 Approved for contraception 1 (and for hormone therapy in some countries)

Majority develop amenorrhea, but issues with breakthrough bleeding in some 3

No evidence of breast cancer risk (but younger populations studied) 4

1. Mirena (levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system). Prescribing information. Wayne, NJ: Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc., 2007. 2. Wildemeersch D, et al.

Maturitas.

2007;57:205. 3. Suvanto Luukkonen E, et al.

Fertil Steril.

1999;72:161. 4. Backman T, et al.

Obstet Gynecol.

2005;106:813.

Combination Products

Oral preparations

– – – – –

CEE (0.3

–0.625 mg) + MPA (1.5–5 mg) 1 E2 (1 mg) + norgestimate (0.9 mg) 2 E2 (1 mg) + norethindrone acetate (0.5 mg) 3 E2 (1 mg)+ drospirenone (0.5 mg) 4 CEE (0.625 mg/1.25 mg) + methyltestosterone (1.25 mg/2.5 mg) 5

Transdermals

– –

E2 0.05 mg + norethindrone acetate (0.14

–0.25 mg) 6 E2 0.05 mg + levonorgestrel (0.015 mg) 7

1. PREMPRO/PREMPHASE (conjugated estrogens/medroxyprogesterone acetate tablets). Prescribing information(PI). Philadelphia, PA: Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc., 2006. 2. PREFEST (estradiol/norgestimate) Tablets. PI. Bristol, TN: Monarch Pharmaceuticals, 2000. 3. Activella (estradiol/norethindrone acetate) Tablets. PI. Princeton, NJ: Novo Nordisk Inc., 2006. 4. Angeliq Tablets (drospirenone/estradiol). PI. Montville, NJ: Berlex, 2005. 5. Estratest (esterified estrogens and methyltestosterone) Tablets. PI. Marietta, GA: Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 2005. 6. CombiPatch (estradiol/norethindrone acetate transdermal system). PI. East Hanover, NJ: Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, 2005. 7. Climara Pro (estradiol/levonorgestrel transdermal system). PI. Montville, NJ: Berlex, 2003.

Vaginal Estrogen

Genitourinary atrophy symptoms

Vaginal dryness, painful intercourse, urinary symptoms

50% in late menopause 1 ; if untreated, symptoms persist or worsen 2

Vaginal estrogen

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Greater potency than systemic estrogen 3 With low doses: minimal systemic absorption 4

1. Notelovitz M.

Int J Gynaecol Obstet.

3. Cardozo L, et al.

Obstet Gynecol.

1997;59 (suppl 1):S35. 2. Woods NF, et al. 1998;92:722. 4. Weisberg E, et al.

Climacteric.

Am J Med.

2005;8:83.

2005;118 (suppl 12B):14.

Vaginal Estrogen —Standard Dose

Dose: 0.5

–4 g (1/4 to full applicator) 1,2

1 g CEE cream = 0.625 mg CEE 1

1 g E2 cream = 100 µg E2 2

Standard doses may increase serum estrogen concentrations, suppress LH, FSH 3,4

Endometrial proliferation in some studies, but progestin not routinely recommended (NAMS) 4

LH = luteinizing hormone; FSH = follicle-stimulating hormone; NAMS = North American Menopause Society.

1. Premarin (conjugated estrogens). Prescribing information. Philadelphia, PA: Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc, 2008.

2. Estrace Cream (estradiol vaginal cream). Prescribing information. Rockaway, NJ: Warner Chilcott (US), Inc, 2007.

3. Rioux JE, et al.

Menopause.

2000;7:156. 4. North American Menopause Society.

Menopause.

2007; 14:357.

Vaginal Estrogen —Low Dose

Options

– –

Vaginal estradiol tablets: 10 µg and 25 µg 1 Vaginal ring

No significant endometrial thickening 2

Serum estradiol concentrations

– –

25 µg dose

20 pg/mL 3 10 µg dose

<10 pg/mL 4

1. Bachmann G, et al.

Obstet Gynecol.

2008;111:67. 2. Rioux JE, et al.

Menopause.

2000;7:156.

3. Notelovitz M, et al.

Obstet Gynecol

. 2002;99:556. 4. Santen RJ, et al.

Menopause.

2002;9:179.

Bioidentical Hormones

“Bioidentical” or “natural” hormones

Term refers to individualized preparations of steroid hormones (estrogen/estriol, progesterone, or testosterone) compounded as creams, gels, pills, or suppositories

Baseline saliva or blood tests for “customization”

Lack of quality control; lack of efficacy/safety data

FDA actions