Women struggling with the disruptive effects of menopause may find new hope following the release of preliminary real-world data regarding Veozah, a non-hormonal treatment for hot flashes and night sweats. Presented at the 20th World Congress on Menopause by the International Menopause Society, results from the Phase 4 OPTION-VMS study suggest that patients using fezolinetant saw significant improvements in both their physical symptoms and their ability to get restful sleep.
One of the most striking aspects of the study was its focus on objective sleep data gathered via medical-grade wearables. While many treatments rely solely on how a patient feels, this research provided hard evidence that those taking Veozah experienced fewer interruptions throughout the night. Specifically, participants saw a mean reduction of about two and a half nighttime awakenings by the twelfth week of treatment, with positive changes appearing as early as four weeks in. This is particularly meaningful given that up to sixty percent of menopausal women suffer from sleep disturbances, often linked directly to intense nighttime hot flashes.
Beyond just sleeping better, the women in the study reported a substantial decrease in bothersome vasomotor symptoms, meaning their daytime and nighttime flashes became less frequent and less severe. Professor Marla Shapiro from the University of Toronto noted that these symptoms can have a far-reaching impact on a woman’s overall well-being and daily productivity. She emphasized that seeing these results play out in routine clinical practice rather than just controlled trials gives doctors and patients a clearer picture of how the medication works in everyday life.
From a safety perspective, researchers found no new red flags during this phase of analysis. A few cases involving mildly elevated liver tests were recorded, but they were described as infrequent and did not cause any patients to stop their treatment. As a selective neurokinin 3 receptor antagonist, Veozah works differently than traditional hormone replacement therapies by targeting the brain’s temperature control center directly, offering an alternative for women who cannot or choose not to use hormones. Now approved in fifty countries, it continues to expand its footprint as more real-world evidence supports its efficacy.
