Arizona Team Advances Phase II Menopause Drug, Targeting Hot Flushes and Alzheimer’s Risk
Updated
Updated · New Scientist · Jun 27
Arizona Team Advances Phase II Menopause Drug, Targeting Hot Flushes and Alzheimer’s Risk
3 articles · Updated · New Scientist · Jun 27
Summary
A non-hormonal menopause drug developed by Roberta Brinton’s team is in phase II trials, aiming to ease hot flushes while potentially lowering later Alzheimer’s risk.
The treatment follows evidence that falling oestrogen during perimenopause and menopause triggers a brain energy crisis; Brinton’s 2021 MRI study of 161 women found glucose metabolism about 10% lower in perimenopause and 20% lower after menopause.
That work also linked postmenopause to roughly 10% lower white-matter volume, supporting a theory that the brain may shift to lipid fuel, though Pauline Maki’s ongoing 242-woman study has so far found no brain-volume differences.
Researchers still agree oestrogen loss affects memory-related brain function, but most women do not develop cognitive impairment, and studies suggest the brain often compensates after menopause by recruiting additional circuits.
The findings sharpen focus on midlife intervention: hormone therapy may help if started within 10 years of the final period, while the new non-hormonal drug could offer another route to protect brain health.
Could a new drug combination halt the cognitive impact of menopause?
Is menopausal 'brain fog' a temporary glitch or an early warning for Alzheimer's?
PhytoSERM in Phase 2: Targeting Menopausal Symptoms and Cognitive Decline with Brain-Selective Estrogen Modulation
Overview
PhytoSERM is currently in a Phase 2 clinical trial designed as a proof-of-concept study to test its effectiveness as a non-pharmacologic therapy. The trial aims to improve cognitive health and reduce menopausal symptoms by giving participants either PhytoSERM or a placebo that looks identical but lacks the active ingredients. The study targets menopause and neurologic disorders, with daily oral administration over 24 weeks. An embedded pharmacokinetic study is included for a subset of participants. This approach builds on earlier promising results and seeks to address the need for safer, more effective treatments for women during menopause.