FDA Approves Spray To Treat Menopause Symptoms

Mountain View, Calif.-based pharmaceutical company Vivus on Monday announced it received FDA approval for a spray to treat hot flashes and other moderate to severe menopause-related symptoms, the San Jose Mercury News reports. The spray, called EvaMist, delivers a measured dose of estrogen to a woman's skin (Johnson, San Jose Mercury News, 7/31).

St. Louis-based KV Pharmaceutical,which bought the marketing rights for EvaMist earlier this year, willpay $140 million to Vivus under an agreement reached between the twocompanies, Reuters reports. KV intends to launch the product during the second half of fiscal year 2008 (Relia/Tickoo, Reuters, 7/30).

According to the Mercury News,Vivus executives said EvaMist can be used to treat hot flashes withlower doses of estrogen than other products on the market (San Jose Mercury News,7/31). Marc Hermelin, KV board chair and CEO, said, "We believe ourexisting presence in the women's health market and our specializedfocus on the ob-gyn community through our dedicated sales force willallow us to successfully promote the benefits of EvaMist to physiciansand patients" (KV Pharmaceutical release, 7/30).
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