Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • News & Views
  • Published:

REPRODUCTIVE ENDOCRINOLOGY

Relugolix — new treatment for uterine fibroid-related heavy bleeding

Limited pharmacological treatments for uterine leiomyomata (fibroids) are available. Now, two phase III trials lasting 24 weeks showed marked reduction in leiomyoma-related heavy menstrual bleeding with relugolix, a new orally active gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist with add-back oestrogen (to limit bone loss) and progestin (to limit endometrial changes from unopposed oestrogen).

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Fig. 1: Pharmacological options associated with fibroid development and symptoms.

References

  1. Stewart, E. A. et al. Uterine fibroids. Nat. Rev. Dis. Primers 2, 16043 (2016).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. ACOG practice bulletin. Alternatives to hysterectomy in the management of leiomyomas. Obstet. Gynecol. 112, 387–400 (2008).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Al-Hendy, A. et al. Treatment of uterine fibroid symptoms with relugolix combination therapy. N. Engl. J. Med. 384, 630–642 (2021).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Lewis, T. D., Malik, M., Britten, J., San Pablo, A. M. & Catherino, W. H. A Comprehensive Review of the Pharmacologic Management of Uterine Leiomyoma. Biomed. Res. Int. 2018, 2414609 (2018).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Farris, M., Bastianelli, C., Rosato, E., Brosens, I. & Benagiano, G. Uterine fibroids: an update on current and emerging medical treatment options. Ther. Clin. Risk Manag. 15, 157–178 (2019).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Mozzanega, B. Ulipristal acetate and liver-injuries: while Esmya is revoked, EllaOne is allowed in repeated self-administrations possibly exceeding UPA toxic-dosing with Esmya. J. Hepatol. 74, 750–751 (2021).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Ciebiera, M. et al. The evolving role of natural compounds in the medical treatment of uterine fibroids. J. Clin. Med. 9 (2020).

  8. Baird, D. D., Saldana, T. M., Shore, D. L., Hill, M. C. & Schectman, J. M. A single baseline ultrasound assessment of fibroid presence and size is strongly predictive of future uterine procedure: 8-year follow-up of randomly sampled premenopausal women aged 35-49 years. Hum. Reprod. 30, 2936–2944 (2015).

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  9. Flake, G. P. et al. The natural history of uterine leiomyomas: light and electron microscopic studies of fibroid phases, interstitial ischemia, inanosis, and reclamation. Obstet. Gynecol. Int. 2013, 528376 (2013).

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  10. Baird, D. D. et al. Uterine fibroid incidence and growth in an ultrasound-based, prospective study of young African Americans. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 223, 402 (2020).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors thank L. Wyrick and T. Winslow for assistance with figure creation and A. Wilcox for reviewing the figure format. E. Myers read and commented on an earlier version of the text. The authors also acknowledge the support of the Intramural Research Program of the NIH, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Donna D. Baird.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Baird, D.D., Harmon, Q.E. Relugolix — new treatment for uterine fibroid-related heavy bleeding. Nat Rev Endocrinol 17, 321–322 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41574-021-00493-2

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41574-021-00493-2

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing