Considerations on implementation of the newest treatment for symptomatic
uterine fibroids: oral GnRH antagonists.
Abstract
Novel Gonadotrophin Releasing Hormone (GnRH) antagonist treatments have
recently been developed in combination with hormonal add-back therapy,
as an oral treatment option for women suffering from uterine fibroids.
Registration trials assessing the GnRH antagonist combination
preparations with relugolix, elagolix, and linzagolix have assessed
treatment efficacy for fibroid related heavy menstrual blood loss in
comparison to placebo. Marketing authorization has already been granted
by several agencies including those in Europe, the United Kingdom, and
the United States. Prior to marketing authorization, the European
Medicines Agency recommends that Phase III registration trails should
assess treatment efficacy in a representative study population, assess
relevant outcomes with a comparison to gold-standard alternative
treatment options and that long-term safety data will adequately be
collected. In this review, we demonstrate limitations in the trial data
generated to date, namely a lack of generalizability due to the
restricted population studied, the absence of any comparison to
alternative treatment methods, and findings limited to specific
subgroups of patients because of the type of outcomes assessed. Symptoms
related to uterine fibroids adversely affect many women’s quality of
life and effective medical treatments are lacking. However, despite the
urgent need for effective treatments, it is vitally important that novel
drugs, like combination oral GnRH antagonists, undergo sufficiently
rigorous evaluation of safety, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness in
a representative population compared with alternative treatment methods
before introduction into mainstream clinical practice.