10 year wait is over for new oral treatment for endometriosis

Endometriosis is a common gynaecologic disorder which affects approximately 1 in 10 women of reproductive age in the US. It often goes undiagnosed for years, and when it is identified, it is hard to treat effectively and some current therapies have unpleasant side effects.

Now AbbVie has received FDA approval for elagolix for endometriosis, which will be on the market under the name Orilissa, and is the first oral gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist for daily menstrual pelvic pain, non-menstrual pelvic pain, and pain associated with sex.

Hugh Taylor, one of the investigators in Orilissa’s phase III programme, said: “Endometriosis is often characterised by chronic pelvic pain that can impact women’s daily activities. Women with endometriosis may undergo multiple medical treatments and surgical procedures seeking pain relief and this approval gives physicians another option for treatment based on a woman’s specific type and severity of endometriosis pain.”