CASES IN MENOPAUSE Brought to you by the menopause experts Conjugated estrogen plus bazedoxifene—a new approach Anne A. Moore, DNP, APN to estrogen therapy For which of my patients is this treatment appropriate? Anne A. Moore, DNP, APN JoAnn V. Pinkerton, MD Dr. Moore is Women’s Health Clinical Trainer, Tennes- Efficacy and safety data show that com- see Department of Health, Nashville, Tennessee. She pared with placebo: serves on the OBG ManageMent Board of Editors. • CE/BZA decreases the frequency and sever- n this special installment of Cases in Meno- ity of hot flashes at 12 weeks, and those pause, I interview series contributor and decreases are maintained at 12 months.1,2 Imenopause expert JoAnn V. Pinkerton, • Women taking CE/BZA have greater MD. We discuss a fairly new therapy: the com- improvements in sleep, with both decreased bination conjugated estrogen and bazedoxifene sleep disturbance and time to fall asleep.3 (CE/BZA; Duavee) for the treatment of moder- • CE/BZA maintained or prevented lum- ate to severe hot flashes due to menopause and bar spine and hip bone loss in postmeno- the prevention of menopausal osteoporosis. pausal women at risk for osteoporosis. 1,4,5 IN THIS Much of my practice has focused on the Although fracture data were not captured ARTICLE treatment of menopausal women, but which and the drug was not tested in osteoporotic CE/BZA’s of my patients can benefit from this particular women, study results showed bone loss pre- safety profile combination of CE 0.45 mg plus BZA 20 mg? I vention at 12 months, which was sustained at page 53 asked Dr. Pinkerton this question, and more. 24 months. The improvement in bone mineral density from baseline was about 1% to 1.5%. This was compared with a bone loss of 1.8% in Traditional Which patients can benefit most? women taking placebo (P<.01). estrogen-progestin DR. PINKERTON CE/BZA was tested in In clinical studies, women taking CE/BZA vs CE/BZA therapy healthy postmenopausal women with a versus placebo also have reported a lower page 53 uterus at risk for bone loss who were report- incidence of painful intercourse,6 and some ing 50 or more moderate to severe hot flashes improvement in health-related quality of life per week. The combination of CE and BZA is a and treatment satisfaction.7,8 good choice for women who have bothersome In short, CE/BZA is a good option for menopausal symptoms: hot flashes, night symptomatic menopausal women with a sweats, and sleep disruption or symptomatic uterus who have bothersome hot flashes, vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA)—although it’s night sweats, and sleep disruptions and want not approved for VVA. to prevent bone loss. Dr. Pinkerton is Professor, Department of Ob- stetrics and Gynecology, and Director, Division What about adverse effects? of Midlife Women’s Health, at the University of DR. PINKERTON In general, CE/BZA has a Virginia in Charlottesville. She is a NAMS past favorable safety and tolerability profile, with president and certified menopause practitioner and serves on the OBG ManageMent Board of an overall incidence of adverse events simi- Editors. lar to placebo. The rates of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events, cancers (breast, 52 OBG Management | October 2014 | Vol. 26 No. 10 obgmanagement.com endometrial, and ovarian), and mortality are 2. Bleeding and spotting rates were signifi- comparable to placebo in 2-year trials. These cantly less than those found with CE/MPA.13 data are limited; studies have been conducted In addition, high rates of amenorrhea in healthy postmenopausal women. Future have been found—comparable to placebo.13 studies need to define the full risk profile, par- CE/BZA is similar to traditional EPT in ticularly among overweight or obese women several ways. For instance, compared with and different ethnic groups and for longer- placebo, at 2 years, CE/BZA was not found to term use. increase the incidence of endometrial hyper- plasia, endometrial thickness (increase from baseline was <1 mm and comparable to pla- Is there a role among women cebo), or endometrial cancers.14 Lastly, simi- with breast cancer? lar to EPT, there is probably a twofold risk of DR. PINKERTON CE/BZA has not been venous thromboembolism (VTE) with BZA tested in women at risk for or with prior breast 20 mg alone.15 Importantly, there has been no cancer. In preclinical trials of up to 2 years, additive effect on VTE risk when combining CE involving healthy postmenopausal women, with BZA; however, we will need longer studies, the rates for breast cancer with CE/BZA were in older women, to fully evaluate this risk.1 similar to placebo. There are no long-term data, Overall, in symptomatic postmeno- however, and there are no data in women at risk pausal women with a uterus, randomized for breast cancer. I recommend that women controlled data show the same improvement who have or are at high risk for breast cancer with CE/BZA as that seen with traditional consider nonhormonal treatment options.9–11 oral EPTs, with improvements in hot flashes; night sweats, with fewer sleep disruptions; Has there been an associated increase and prevention of bone loss. In addition, in breast density with CE/BZA? the changes in cholesterol (an increase in DR. PINKERTON No. Data from two ran- triglyceride levels) and effect on the vagina domized clinical trials showed that the breast are the same. Yet, CE/BZA appears to have Unlike estrogen- density changes with 12-month CE/BZA a neutral effect on the breast and protects progestin therapy, treatment was similar to placebo—which is against endometrial hyperplasia and endo- CE/BZA does 9,10 markedly different from comparisons of pla- metrial cancer without causing bleeding. not cause breast cebo and combination estrogen-progestin CE/BZA’s VTE and stroke risks are expected tenderness or therapy (EPT), where EPT increased breast to be similar to traditional oral EPT. breast density density. If indeed this lack of an association Therefore, the major benefit of CE/BZA changes or vaginal translates into fewer breast cancers, it would for women who have a uterus is the lack of bleeding in women be wonderful, but we do not have long-term significant breast tenderness, lack of changes with a uterus data. We can tell our patients that using in breast density, and lack of vaginal bleeding CE/BZA has not been shown to increase the that is often seen with traditional EPT.12 risk of breast cancer, at least up to 2 years. Then, is progestogen the harmful agent in traditional HT options? What makes CE/BZA different DR. PINKERTON There is evidence that from traditional EPT? estrogen plus progestogen therapy has more DR. PINKERTON There are two exciting risk for breast cancer than estrogen alone. differences: But in women who have a uterus, you need 1. The incidences of breast pain and tender- to protect against uterine cancer so, up until ness were found to be similar to placebo, now, the only option was to add progestogen. and were significantly less than those with Some studies suggest the risk of breast cancer the comparator EPT (conjugated estro- may differ depending on the type of progesto- gens 0.45 mg plus medroxyprogesterone gen. So it’s a laudable goal to try to protect the acetate [CE/MPA] 1.5 mg).9,10,12 endometrium without using a progestogen. CONTINUED ON PAGE 54 obgmanagement.com Vol. 26 No. 10 | October 2014 | OBG Management 53 CASES IN MENOPAUSE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 53 Given its safety profile, do you moving forward as we gain experience with see CE/BZA being indicated for using this new treatment option. women without a uterus? Disclosures DR. PINKERTON CE/BZA has been tested Dr. Moore reports no financial relationships relevant to this ar- only in women with a uterus; there is no ticle. Dr. Pinkerton reports that her institution receives consulting fees from DepoMed, Noven, NovoNordisk, Pfizer, and Shionogi; indication for using it in hysterectomized current grant or research support from Therapeutics MD, prior women. In the future, unless trial data show support from DepoMed, Bionova, and Endoceutics, and, several years ago, support from Pfizer; and travel funds from DepoMed, a benefit to hysterectomized women—by a Noven, NovoNordisk, Pfizer, Therapeutics MD, and Shionogi. reduction in breast cancer compared with estrogen alone—there would be no reason References 1. Lobo RA, Pinkerton JV, Gass ML, et al. Evaluation of to add BZA to the CE for these women. You bazedoxifene/conjugated estrogens for the treatment would just use CE or another type of estrogen of menopausal symptoms and effects on metabolic bone parameters and overall safety profile. Fertil Steril. alone. 2009;92(3):1025–1038. 2. Pinkerton JV, Utian WH, Constantine GD, Olivier S, Pickar JH. Relief of vasomotor symptoms with the tissue-selective estrogen complex containing bazedoxifene/conjugated Do you anticipate BZA being estrogens. Menopause. 2009;16:(6)1116–1124. used alone? 3. Pinkerton JV, Pan K, Abraham L, et al. Sleep parameters and health-related quality of life with bazedoxifene/ DR. PINKERTON For treating osteoporo- conjugated estrogens. Menopause. 2014;21(3):252–259. sis in postmenopausal women at increased 4. Lindsay R, Gallagher JC, Kagan R, Pickar JH, Constantine G. Efficacy of tissue-selective estrogen complex (TSEC) fracture risk, BZA alone has greater benefits of bazedoxifene/conjugated estrogens (BZA/CE) for than risks. It is approved in other countries osteoporosis prevention in at-risk postmenopausal women. Fertil Steril. 2009;92(3):1045–1052. to prevent or treat osteoporosis. In 2008, 5. Pinkerton JV, Harvey JA, Lindsay R, et al; SMART-5 Wyeth received an approval letter from the Investigators.