Estrogens, Conjugated

FRIDAY, Nov. 22, 2024 -- Four years of hormone replacement therapy to help women deal with menopausal symptoms causes no harm to the brain, even over the long term, new research shows. "In the present study, approximately 10 years after 48 months of early menopausal therapy... the cognitive performance of women randomized to [hormone replacement therapy] did not differ from those randomized to placebo," concluded a team led by Carey Gleason , of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her team published its findings Nov. 21 in the journal PLOS Medicine . For decades, millions of women took supplemental forms of estrogen long-term to help curb hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms. Then in 2002, results from the Women's Health Initiative study linked hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to an increased risk of blood clots, stroke, breast cancer and heart disease. That caused a drastic decline in the use of HRT, but in recent years a more nuanced view of the risks and benefits of the treatment have emerged, with some women only taking HRT for a few years around the time of menopause . Would this shorter course of HRT harm the brain? Four years after stopping four years of HRT, an investigation called the Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study had already detected no declines in thinking or memory among users at that point in time. Kronos involved 727 women around the age of menopause, all of whom were in good cardiovascular health. The newly published report looked at Kronos findings for 275 of those women, all of who were tested a full 10 years after they'd wrapped up their four years of hormonal therapy. Again, the result was clear: "Menopausal hormone therapy was not associated with cognitive benefits nor does menopausal hormone therapy prevent cognitive decline," Gleason and team concluded. That means that while HRT does no harm to the brain, it should not also be seen as a means of boosting a woman's neurological health as she ages, the researchers said. “For women in menopause and the health care providers caring for them, getting direct, clear and evidence-based information about menopausal hormone therapy is challenging. And they need data to guide their decisions," Gleason's team wrote. Women in the study received various forms of hormonal supplements ( Premarin , Climara or Prometrium ), given in pill or patch form, or placebo pills or patches. More research into HRT's effect on brain health should be done, Gleason's group said. "These findings highlight the need for further research to explore other potential long-term health outcomes associated with menopausal hormone therapy, beyond cognitive performance," they wrote. "Future studies could focus on areas such as mood and Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers." Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.

ItovebiTM (inavolisib)-based regimen demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful benefit, reducing the risk of disease worsening or death by 57% compared with palbociclib and fulvestrant alone in the INAVO120 study1 The U.S. FDA recently approved the Itovebi-based regimen as a first-line treatment for people with HR-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer with a PIK3CA mutation, one of the most commonly mutated genes in HR-positive disease2 Basel, 31 October 2024 - Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) announced today that a detailed analysis of the positive phase III INAVO120 results, evaluating ItovebiTM (inavolisib) in combination with palbociclib (Ibrance®) and fulvestrant were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.1 The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved Itovebi in combination with palbociclib and fulvestrant, for the treatment of adults with endocrine-resistant, PIK3CA-mutated, hormone receptor (HR)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative, locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer, as detected by an FDA-approved test, following recurrence on or after completing adjuvant endocrine therapy. Data from INAVO120 are also being used for filing submissions to other global health authorities, including the European Medicines Agency. “With a doubling of progression-free survival and consistent benefits in people whose disease had spread to multiple challenging-to-treat locations, including the liver and lungs, these INAVO120 data are significant for patients,” said Komal Jhaveri, M.D., section head for the endocrine therapy research portfolio and clinical director of the early drug development service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and one of the principal investigators of the INAVO120 study. “I’m confident this Itovebi-based regimen could become a new first-line standard of care for this patient population with one of the most commonly mutated genes in metastatic breast cancer, associated with a poor prognosis.” Results showed the Itovebi-based regimen reduced the risk of disease worsening or death (progression-free survival [PFS]) by 57% compared to palbociclib and fulvestrant alone (15.0 months vs. 7.3 months; hazard ratio [HR]=0.43, 95% CI: 0.32-0.59, p<0.001).1 PFS benefit was consistent across all pre-specified subgroups, including people whose disease had spread to three or more locations, which is characterised as difficult-to-treat disease.1 Overall survival (OS) data were immature at the time of analysis, but a clear positive trend has been observed (stratified HR=0.64, 95% CI: 0.43-0.97, p=0.03 [boundary of 0.0098]).1 Follow-up for OS will continue to the next analysis.1 “Publication of these phase III results in the New England Journal of Medicine further highlights the transformative potential of the Itovebi-based regimen,” said Levi Garraway, M.D., Ph.D., Roche’s Chief Medical Officer and Head of Global Product Development. “This new treatment exemplifies our ambition to target specific disease pathways more effectively and improve outcomes in people with breast cancer, while also emphasising the importance of comprehensive testing for mutations like PIK3CA at the time of diagnosis.” The PIK3CA mutation is found in approximately 40% of HR-positive metastatic breast cancers and is associated with a poor prognosis.2,3 Historically, the use of PI3K targeted therapy in the first-line advanced setting has been limited and therefore testing for PIK3CA mutations is not common at the time of diagnosis.4 Early biomarker testing with an FDA-approved test, such as Foundation Medicine’s FoundationOne®Liquid CDx, before first-line treatment is crucial to help identify people who may benefit from targeted therapy, such as Itovebi.4,5 Itovebi is currently being investigated in three company-sponsored phase III clinical studies (INAVO120, INAVO121, INAVO122) in PIK3CA-mutated locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer in various combinations.6-8 We are exploring additional studies in breast cancer and other tumour types with the hope of bringing the benefit of this targeted therapy to more people with PIK3CA mutations and addressing patient unmet needs. About the INAVO120 studyThe INAVO120 study [NCT04191499] is a phase III, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluating the efficacy and safety of Itovebi (inavolisib) in combination with palbociclib and fulvestrant versus placebo plus palbociclib and fulvestrant in people with PIK3CA-mutated, hormone receptor (HR)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative, locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer whose disease progressed during treatment or within 12 months of completing adjuvant endocrine therapy and who have not received prior systemic therapy for metastatic disease.6 The study included 325 patients, who were randomly assigned to either the investigational or control treatment arm.6 The primary endpoint is progression-free survival, as assessed by investigators, defined as the time from randomisation in the clinical trial to the time when the disease progresses, or a patient dies from any cause.6 Secondary endpoints include overall survival, objective response rate, and clinical benefit rate.6 Beyond INAVO120, Itovebi is currently being investigated in two additional company-sponsored phase III clinical studies in PIK3CA-mutated locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer in various combinations:7,8 in combination with fulvestrant versus alpelisib plus fulvestrant in HR-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer post cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitor and endocrine combination therapy (INAVO121; NCT05646862), andin combination with pertuzumab plus trastuzumab for subcutaneous injection (SC) versus pertuzumab plus trastuzumab for SC and optional physician's choice of endocrine therapy as a maintenance treatment in HER2-positive disease (INAVO122; NCT05894239). About hormone receptor (HR)-positive breast cancerHR-positive breast cancer is the most prevalent type of all breast cancers, accounting for approximately 70% of cases.9,10 A defining feature of HR-positive breast cancer is that its tumour cells have receptors that attach to one or both hormones – oestrogen or progesterone – which can contribute to tumour growth. People diagnosed with HR-positive metastatic breast cancer often face the risk of disease progression and treatment side effects, creating a need for additional treatment options.10-12 The PI3K signalling pathway is commonly dysregulated in HR-positive breast cancer, often due to activating PIK3CA mutations, which have been identified as a potential mechanism of intrinsic resistance to standard of care endocrine therapy in combination with cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors.3 About Roche in breast cancerRoche has been advancing breast cancer research for more than 30 years with the goal ofhelping as many people with the disease as possible. Our medicines, along with companiondiagnostic tests, have contributed to bringing breakthrough outcomes in human epidermal growth factor 2-positive and triple-negative breast cancers. As our understanding of breast cancer biology rapidly improves, we are working to identify new biomarkers and approaches to treatment for other subtypes of the disease, including oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancer, which is a form of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, the most prevalent type of all breast cancers.9,10 About RocheFounded in 1896 in Basel, Switzerland, as one of the first industrial manufacturers of branded medicines, Roche has grown into the world’s largest biotechnology company and the global leader in in-vitro diagnostics. The company pursues scientific excellence to discover and develop medicines and diagnostics for improving and saving the lives of people around the world. We are a pioneer in personalised healthcare and want to further transform how healthcare is delivered to have an even greater impact. To provide the best care for each person we partner with many stakeholders and combine our strengths in Diagnostics and Pharma with data insights from the clinical practice. For over 125 years, sustainability has been an integral part of Roche’s business. As a science-driven company, our greatest contribution to society is developing innovative medicines and diagnostics that help people live healthier lives. Roche is committed to the Science Based Targets initiative and the Sustainable Markets Initiative to achieve net zero by 2045. Genentech, in the United States, is a wholly owned member of the Roche Group. Roche is the majority shareholder in Chugai Pharmaceutical, Japan. For more information, please visit www.roche.com. All trademarks used or mentioned in this release are protected by law.References[1] Turner NC, et al. Inavolisib-Based Therapy in PIK3CA-Mutated Advanced Breast Cancer. NEJM. 2024;391(17).[2] Fillbrunn M, et al. PIK3CA mutation status, progression and survival in advanced HR+/HER2- breast cancer: a meta-analysis of published clinical trials. BMC Cancer. 2022;22:1002.[3] Anderson E, et al. A Systematic Review of the Prevalence and Diagnostic Workup of PIK3CA Mutations in HR+/HER2– Metastatic Breast Cancer. Int J Breast Cancer. 2020;2020:3759179.[4] Princic N, et al. Abstract P1-18-18: PIK3CA mutation testing prevalence among post-menopausal (PM) women with hormone receptor positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative (HR+/HER2-) metastatic breast cancer (mBC) using real world data. Cancer Res. 2020;80(4):P1-18-18.[5] Wales Cancer Network. PIK3CA-mutated breast cancer clinical guidance document [Internet; cited 2024 October]. Available from: https://executive.nhs.wales/functions/networks-and-planning/cancer/wcn-documents/mutated-breast-cancer-clinical-guidance-document//.[6] ClinicalTrials.gov. A Study Evaluating the Efficacy and Safety of Inavolisib + Palbociclib + Fulvestrant vs Placebo + Palbociclib + Fulvestrant in Patients With PIK3CA-Mutant, Hormone Receptor-Positive, Her2-Negative, Locally Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer (INAVO120) [Internet; cited 2024 October]. Available from: https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04191499.[7] ClinicalTrials.gov. A Study Evaluating the Efficacy and Safety of Inavolisib Plus Fulvestrant Compared With Alpelisib Plus Fulvestrant in Participants With HR-Positive, HER2-Negative, PIK3CA Mutated, Locally Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer Post CDK4/6i and Endocrine Combination Therapy (INAVO121) [Internet; cited 2024 October]. Available from: https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05646862.[8] ClinicalTrials.gov. A Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Inavolisib in Combination With Phesgo Versus Placebo in Combination With Phesgo in Participants With PIK3CA-Mutated HER2-Positive Locally Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer [Internet; cited 2024 October]. Available from: https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05894239.[9] National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology and Ends Result Program. Cancer Stat Facts: Female Breast Cancer Subtypes [Internet; cited 2024 October]. Available from: https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/breast-subtypes.html.[10] Lim E, et al. The natural history of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. Oncology (Williston Park). 2012;26(8):688-94,696.[11] Tomas R and Barrios CH. Optimal management of hormone receptor positive metastatic breast cancer in 2016. Ther Adv Med Oncol. 2015;7(6):304-20.[12] Galipeau N, et al. Understanding key symptoms, side effects, and impacts of HR+/HER- advanced breast cancer: qualitative study findings. J Patient-Rep Outcomes. 2019;3(1):10. Dr. Jhaveri has financial interests related to Roche and Genentech. Roche Global Media RelationsPhone: +41 61 688 8888 / e-mail: media.relations@roche.com Hans Trees, PhDPhone: +41 79 407 72 58 Sileia UrechPhone: +41 79 935 81 48 Nathalie AltermattPhone: +41 79 771 05 25 Lorena CorfasPhone: +41 79 568 24 95 Simon GoldsboroughPhone: +44 797 32 72 915 Karsten KleinePhone: +41 79 461 86 83 Nina MählitzPhone: +41 79 327 54 74 Kirti PandeyPhone: +49 172 6367262 Yvette PetillonPhone: +41 79 961 92 50 Dr Rebekka SchnellPhone: +41 79 205 27 03 Attachment 31102024_Itovebi NEJM_en