Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, a division of Wyeth, announced that the company has submitted two New Drug Applications (NDA) to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The first NDA is for the approval of bazedoxifene, a Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator (SERM) investigated for the prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis. The second NDA is for desvenlafaxine succinate, a non-hormonal agent studied for the treatment of moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause, such as hot flashes and night sweats.

"If approved, both bazedoxifene and desvenlafaxine succinate will give physicians additional options to help meet the individualized needs of their menopausal patients," says Joseph Camardo, MD, senior vice president, Global Medical Affairs, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. "The simultaneous submission of these two separate NDAs emphasizes Wyeth's position as a leader and innovator in women's health. Wyeth continues to support clinical research and drug development with the goal of meeting the health care needs of women worldwide."

During menopause women begin losing bone mass more rapidly, making them increasingly susceptible to osteoporosis. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation the number of women of menopausal age who have osteoporosis or are at risk for developing the disease will increase from almost 30 million in 2002 to nearly 41 million in 2020.

According to the North American Menopause Society, there are approximately 40 million women in the United States of menopausal age. As many as 93 per cent of women going through menopause experience vasomotor symptoms such as hot flashes, which can greatly impact a woman's life. However, many women remain untreated for their vasomotor symptoms.