Hot-flushes menopause drug approved in UK

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By Liz Perkins

A new menopause treatment to deal with hot flushes and night sweats has been approved in the UK.

Veoza - or fezolinetant - is a non-hormonal treatment which acts on the brain by blocking a brain protein called neurokinin-3 to help regulate the symptoms.

Around 80% of women who have the menopause go through those symptoms but some opt not to take medication.

The drug is yet to be approved for the NHS and is expected to be reviewed by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence next year.

The drug is unable to deal with other menopausal symptoms, including mood changes or vaginal dryness.

Julian Beach, from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), said: “Hot flushes and night sweats caused by menopause are common and can have a significant impact on a woman’s daily life.

“No medicine would be approved unless it met our expected standards of safety, quality and effectiveness and we continue to keep the safety of all medicines under close review.”