LASCO, Bayer launch endometriosis drug in Jamaica

LASCO Distributors Limited in association with Bayer Healthcare is offering Jamaican women suffering from endo-metriosis, a chronic and painful disease, an affordable solution to ease its debilitating effects through the use of a drug, Visanne.

Endometriosis develops when cells resembling those from the lining of the womb grow outside the womb, forming endometriotic implants which can cause inflammation and the formation of scar tissue, leading to pain.

Visanne, manufactured in Germany by international pharmaceutical giant Bayer Healthcare, provides a viable treatment option for the estimated one in 10 women affected by endometriosis.

The drug, now available at pharmacies islandwide, has been proven in clinical trials to significantly reduce the pain associated with endometriosis and significantly reduce endometriotic implants - the endometrium-like tissue found 'implanted' outside the womb.

COMMITTED TO IMPROVING HEALTH

Zonite Channer-Williams, sales force supervisor, Bayer Brands, said, "We are committed to improving the health and well-being of women and their families everywhere through researching and developing new treatment options for diseases afflicting women. We feel that the introduction of Visanne marks a considerable step forward in managing this chronic, debilitating disease."

According to Dr Vernon DaCosta, director of the Hugh Wynter Fertility Management Unit of the University of the West Indies, Mona, "Endometriosis places a heavy burden on women in the prime of their lives, causing considerable pain and impacting on everyday aspects of a woman's life. This new well-tolerated treatment option with the potential to offer women significant and lasting pain relief is good news for the women living with endometriosis in Jamaica."

There is currently no cure for the painful and exhausting disease. The effectiveness and safety of Visanne to treat endometriosis at a low dose have been tested in a clinical trial programme involving women with endometriosis for up to 15 months. In fact, these clinical studies have shown that the medicine is highly effective at relieving endometriosis-associated pain, including period pain, pre-menstrual pain, pelvic pain and pain during sexual intercourse.

... Visanne does not produce significant hypoestrogenic side effects

The endometriosis drug Visanne is as effective at relieving pain as gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues (GnRH-analogue). However, clinical studies have also proven that the drug does not produce significant hypoestrogenic side effects, such as decreased bone mineral density and other menopausal symptoms associated with GnRH-analogue treatment, such as hot flushes and vaginal dryness.

Visanne contains dienogest, a unique progestin which is particularly suited to effectively treat endometriosis. Dienogest has been chosen for use in Visanne because it provides high efficacy to treat endometriosis at low-dose and it is well-tolerated.

Taken once daily, Visanne moderately reduces the body's production of estrogen, thereby reducing the growth of endometrial tissue which is estrogen-dependent. Additionally, Dienogest has been proven to cause endometrial tissue to deteriorate.

The most frequently reported side effects with Visanne are headache, breast discomfort, depressed mood and acne.