Fezolinetant Changes Menopause Management, with JoAnn Vensko Pinkerton, MD

Earlier this year, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved fezolinetant (Veozah) for the treatment of moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause. The indication granted to Astellas Pharma in May marked the first neurokinin 3 receptor antagonist to reach the market for managing menopausal hot flashes.¹

Reaction to the once-daily oral drug’s breakthrough approval among OB/GYN specialists was resonant of excitement for a novel mechanism of care to treat hot flashes—and relief for the market’s long-awaited expansion to include options like fezolinetant.²

In an interview with Contemporary OB/GYN assistant editor Celeste Krewson for This Year in Medicine 2023, JoAnn Vensko Pinkerton, MD, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Virginia and a credential menopause specialist with The Menopause Society, discussed the impact of fezolinetant’s FDA approval on menopause treatment. Chief among Pinkerton’s takeaways were the non-estrogen, non-hormonal makeup of fezolinetant—as well as her own personal experiences in prescribing the therapy.

Fezolinetant and Krewson additionally review the pivotal data from the SKYLIGHT trial program supporting fezolinetant, as well as anticipation for long-term utility and rollout of the agent to real-world patients in 2023 and beyond.

References

1. ^{Petronelli M. FDA approves fezolinetant for vasomotor symptoms. Contemporary OB/GYN. Published May 12, 2023. https://www.contemporaryobgyn.net/view/fda-approves-fezolinetant-for-vasomotor-symptoms}
2. ^{Petronelli M. 'It's about time,' fezolinetant approval and latest research showcased at annual meeting. Contemporary OB/GYN. Published online May 19, 2023. https://www.contemporaryobgyn.net/view/-it-s-about-time-fezolinetant-approval-and-latest-research-showcased-at-annual-meeting}