Drug developers and financiers discuss the biggest challenges delaying novel R&D in diseases effecting only women and how poor awareness of the debilitating symptoms that come with some conditions has led to a lack of emphasis on innovative research.

Faster relief of debilitating menopausal symptoms in early-stage clinical trial results suggest a potential new class of products being evaluated by UK biotech KaNDy Therapeutics may be useful against the condition.

Takeda has reported the first in a wave of Phase III trials to support the potential uterine fibroid therapy relugolix. The news is good for licensee Myovant, which earlier this year started two larger Phase III studies of the product.

NeRRe Therapeutics has set up a new entity around a drug which it believes could be an effective alternative to hormone replacement therapy for hot flashes that may rapidly reduce debilitating sleep disturbance.