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Fezolinetant: First Approval

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Abstract

Fezolinetant (VEOZAH™) is an oral, small molecule, neurokinin 3 receptor (NK3R) antagonist, which is being developed by Astellas Pharma Inc. for the treatment of moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms (VMS) or hot flashes due to menopause. Inhibiting NK3R-mediated signalling in the central nervous system is a non-hormonal strategy to modulate the activity of neurones that are associated with thermoregulation, thereby reducing the frequency and severity of VMS. Fezolinetant received its first approval in the USA in May 2023 for the treatment of moderate to severe VMS due to menopause. This article summarizes the milestones in the development of fezolinetant leading to this first approval in this indication.

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  1. Springer Nature, Private Bag 65901, Mairangi Bay, Auckland, 0754, New Zealand

    Arnold Lee

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  1. Arnold Lee
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Correspondence to Arnold Lee.

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The preparation of this review was not supported by any external funding.

Authorship and Conflict of interest

During the peer review process the manufacturer of the agent under review was offered an opportunity to comment on the article. Changes resulting from any comments received were made by the authors on the basis of scientific completeness and accuracy. A. Lee is a salaried employee of Adis International Ltd/Springer Nature, and declares no relevant conflicts of interest. All authors contributed to the review and are responsible for the article content.

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This profile has been extracted and modified from the AdisInsight database. AdisInsight tracks drug development worldwide through the entire development process, from discovery, through pre-clinical and clinical studies to market launch and beyond.

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Lee, A. Fezolinetant: First Approval. Drugs 83, 1137–1141 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40265-023-01917-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40265-023-01917-1

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