Up to 1,000 women a year could benefit from a second at-home treatment option for endometriosis, as linzagolix has been approved by NICE.
A daily dose of linzagolix should be made available for patients whose previous medical or surgical treatments for endometriosis have been unsuccessful, NICE has recommended in draft guidance.
It will need to be given alongside low-dose hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to prevent menopause-like symptoms and bone loss, the guidance said.
Marketing authorisation for use of linzagolix in this group of patients was given in March but the drug had previously been approved by NICE for the treatment of moderate to severe symptoms of uterine fibroids.
It follows the approval of relugolix–estradiol–norethisterone (also known as relugolix combination therapy or Ryeqo) for endometriosis in March.
In a ‘fast-track’ process, the committee reviewed evidence that linzagolix with hormone therapy showed statistically significant reductions in both non-menstrual pelvic pain and dysmenorrhea.
In addition, a cost-comparator analysis showed linzagolix and relugolix to be comparable and patients who had already tried other therapies could benefit from additional treatment options.
It is thought around 1.5 million women in the UK have endometriosis.
Helen Knight, director of medicines evaluation at NICE, said: ‘We’re pleased to recommend linzagolix as a new treatment option for endometriosis.
‘As a once-daily tablet taken at home, it offers a convenient way for people with endometriosis to manage their condition and helps to ease pressure on NHS services.’
Dr Sue Mann, national clinical director in women’s health for NHS England, said: ‘This is welcome news for women with endometriosis who haven’t found relief from previous therapies or surgery – it’s another treatment option which will help women take control of their health and better manage the symptoms of this often painful and debilitating condition.
‘This is a testament to our ongoing commitment to improving treatment, care and quality of life for women – and follows the approval just months ago of the first long-term daily pill for managing endometriosis on the NHS, giving women more choice in treatment they can take in the comfort of their own homes.’
Sounds very useful, but I ould be put off strongly by it being approved under the ‘Fast track’ system that bypasses important parts of the regulatory system including side effect monitoring, which allowed flawed Covid jabs to be introduced with lower than ideal safety data also, and impaired our ability to find a safer alternative.