The combination of the selective estrogen receptor modulator Bazedoxifene and conjugated estrogens may be an effective alternative to traditional hormone therapy for postmenopausal symptoms, according to a study presented here at the annual meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, a division of Wyeth, announced that the Company has submitted two New Drug Applications to the U.S. FDA. The first NDA is for the approval of Bazedoxifene, a Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator investigated for the prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis. The second NDA is for desvenlafaxine succinate, a non-hormonal agent studied for the treatment of moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms associated with the menopause such as hot flashes and night sweats.

During menopause, women start to lose bone mass more rapidly, making them increasingly susceptible to osteoporosis. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, the number of women of the menopausal age who have osteoporosis or are at risk for developing the disease will increase from almost 30 million in 2002 to nearly 41 million in 2020.

According to the North American Menopause Society, there are approximately 40 million women in the United States of menopausal age and as many as 93 percent of women going through menopause experience vasomotor symptoms such as hot flashes, which can greatly impact a woman's life. However, many women do remain untreated for their vasomotor symptoms.