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CLINICAL STUDIES Effects on vasomotor symptoms The efficacy of 0.045 mg estradiol/0.03 mg levonorgestrel administered weekly versus placebo in the relief of moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms in postmenopausal women was studied in one 12-week clinical trial (n=183, average age 52.1 ± 4.93, 82% Caucasian). The 0.045 mg estradiol/0.03 mg levonorgestrel dosage strength was shown to be statistically better than placebo at weeks 4 and 12 for relief of both the number and severity of moderate to severe hot flushes. See Tables 2 and 3. Climara Pro and the 0.045 mg estradiol/0.03 mg levonorgestrel dosage strength are bioequivalent in terms of estradiol delivery. (See CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY , Absorption ) Table 2: Summary of Mean Daily Number of Moderate to Severe Hot Flushes-ITT Baseline Week 4 Week 8 Week 12 Placebo n n= Number of subjects in a treatment group in a cycle; Number of subjects varied from cycle to cycle due to missing data 88 82 73 69 Mean (SD) SD= standard deviation 10.8 (5.803) 6.13 (4.311) 5.35 (4.095) 5.59 (4.93) Mean Change from baseline (SD) NA -4.23 (4.374) -4.80 (4.448) -4.55 (5.407) 0.045/.03 n 92 88 80 73 Mean (SD) 10.13 (3.945) 2.69 (4.455) 1.22 (2.804) 1.06 (3.187) Mean Change from baseline (SD) NA -7.40 (4.715) -8.68 (4.715) -8.82 (4.336) p-Value NA <0.001 p <0.025 NA <0.001 Table 3: Summary of Mean Severity of Moderate to Severe Hot Flushes-ITT Baseline A subject was included at baseline only if the subject had at least 1 post-baseline value. Week 4 (day 7) Week 8 (day 7) Week 12 (day 7) Placebo n 89 76 68 57 Mean (SD) 2.42 (0.282) 1.99 (0.875) 1.93 (0.955) 1.8 (1.034) Mean Change from baseline (SD) NA -0.4 (0.865) -0.48 (0.922) -0.57 (1.044) 0.045/.03 n 92 83 72 55 Mean (SD) 2.48 (0.295) 1.1 (1.191) 0.82 (1.226) 0.44 (0.96) Mean Change from baseline (SD) NA -1.4 (1.164) -1.67 (1.245) -2.06 (1.005) p-Value NA <0.001 [ ] NA <0.001[ ] ITT= Intent to Treat population; n= Number of subjects in a treatment group in a cycle; SD= standard deviation Severity scores are : 1 = Mild, 2 = Moderate, 3 = Severe. Mean severity of hot flushes by day is [(2X number of moderate hot flushes) + (3X number of severe hot flushes)] / total number of moderate to severe hot flushes on that day. If no moderate to severe hot flush was indicated, the mean severity was 0. Number of subjects varied from cycle to cycle due to missing data Effects on the endometrium In a 1-year clinical trial of 412 postmenopausal women (with intact uteri) treated with a continuous regimen of Climara Pro or with an continuous estradiol-only transdermal system, results of evaluable endometrial biopsies show that no hyperplasia was seen with Climara Pro. Table 4 below summarizes these results (Intent-to-Treat populations). Table 4: Incidence of Endometrial Hyperplasia during Continuous Combined treatment with Climara Pro, Intent-to-Treat Population Climara Pro E 2 0.045mg / LNG 0.015 mg Estradiol E 2 0.045 mg n N = number of intent-to-treat subjects = 210 n = 202 No. of Patients with Biopsies at ≥6 months 124 139 No. of Patients with Biopsies at 1 year 102 110 No. (%) of Patients with Hyperplasia 0 (0%) 19 (17.3% ) 95% Confidence Interval 0 - 3.55% 9.75 - 24.79% Effects on uterine bleeding or spotting The effects of Climara Pro on uterine bleeding or spotting, as recorded using an interactive voice response system, were evaluated in one 12-month clinical trial. Results are shown in Figure 3. Figure 3: Cumulative proportion of subjects at each cycle with no bleeding/ spotting through the end of cycle 13 Last Observation Carried Forward Percent based upon the number of subjects with data Last non-missing cycle carried forward through cycle 13 Bleeding associated with endometrial biopsies not included Effects on bone mineral density The effects on bone mineral density (BMD) were studied in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of transdermal systems (patches) containing only estradiol (E2). The patients were postmenopausal women with hysterectomies, 40-83 years of age (mean=51.4 years), and 77.3% Caucasian. Patients received calcium supplements if they appeared deficient on a questionnaire. Vitamin D supplements were not given. A total of 154 patients were randomized in a 2:2:3 ratio to weekly application of 22 cm 2 patches containing 2.2 mg E2, 4.4 mg E2, or placebo, for 728 days of continuous treatment (26 28-day cycles). Only the results for the estradiol dose in Climara Pro (4.4 mg E2) and for placebo are presented. Statistically significant increases in the primary efficacy variable, BMD of the lumbar spine (A-P view, L2- L4), were seen for 4.4 mg E2 compared to placebo (see Table 5 and Figure 4). BMD was also measured at the hip (total, non-dominant side) and radius (midshaft, non-dominant side) with statistically significant treatment effects only observed for the hip (see Table 5). Table 5: Mean Bone Mineral Density (Standard Deviation) 4.4 mg E2 Placebo Total Lumbar Spine Baseline (g/cm 2 ) n=36 1.1 (0.2) n=46 1.1 (0.2) % Change from baseline LOCF LOCF=Last Observation Carried Forward +1.7% (4.4) -2.9% (3.8) P-value compared to placebo <0.0001 Total Hip Baseline (g/cm 2 ) n=36 0.97 (0.1) n=48 0.94 (0.1) % Change from baseline LOCF +1.3% (4.2) -0.9% (5.2) P-value compared to placebo 0.05 Figure 4: Percent Change From Baseline in Bone Mineral Density (g/cm2) of Lumbar Spine (A-P View, L2–L4) by Treatment Group and Cycle (Mean ± SE)* * Data in the figure is for 21 patients on 4.4 mg E2 and 27 placebo patients who completed the study; approximately 44% of randomized patients. The lumbar spine BMD data were analyzed according to baseline estradiol levels. Estimated treatment effects for 4.4 mg E2 were approximately twice as large in the subgroup with baseline estradiol levels <5 pg/mL as in the subgroup with baseline estradiol levels ≥ 5 pg/mL. Women's Health Initiative Studies The Women's Health Initiative (WHI) enrolled a total of 27,000 predominantly healthy postmenopausal women to assess the risks and benefits of either the use of oral conjugated estrogens (CE 0.625 mg) alone per day or the use of oral conjugated estrogens (CE 0.625 mg) plus medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA 2.5 mg) per day compared to placebo in the prevention of certain chronic diseases. The primary endpoint was the incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) (nonfatal myocardial infarction and CHD death), with invasive breast cancer as the primary adverse outcome studied. A "global index" included the earliest occurrence of CHD, invasive breast cancer, stroke, pulmonary embolism (PE), endometrial cancer, colorectal cancer, hip fracture, or death due to other cause. The study did not evaluate the effects of CE or CE/MPA on menopausal symptoms. The CE/MPA substudy was stopped early because, according to the predefined stopping rule, the increased risk of breast cancer and cardiovascular events exceeded the specified benefits included in the "global index." Results of the CE/MPA substudy, which included 16,608 women (average age of 63 years, range 50 to 79; 83.9% White, 6.5% Black, 5.5% Hispanic), after an average follow-up of 5.2 years are presented in Table 6 : Table 6: RELATIVE AND ABSOLUTE RISK SEEN IN THE CE/MPA SUBSTUDY OF WHI Event A subset of the events was combined in a "global index", defined as the earliest occurrence of CHD events, invasive breast cancer, stroke, pulmonary embolism, endometrial cancer, colorectal cancer, hip fracture, or death due to other causes Relative Risk CE/MPA vs placebo at 5.2 Years (95% CI) CE/MPA n = 8,506 Placebo n = 8,102 Absolute Risk per 10,000 Women-Years CHD events Non-fatal MI CHD death 1.29 (1.02-1.63) 1.32 (1.02-1.72) 1.18 (0.7-1.97) 37 30 30 23 7 6 Invasive breast cancer 1.26 (1-1.59) 38 30 Stroke 1.41 (1.07-1.85) 29 21 Pulmonary embolism 2.13 (1.39-3.25) 16 8 Colorectal cancer 0.63 (0.43-0.92) 10 16 Endometrial cancer 0.83 (0.47-1.47) 5 6 Hip fracture 0.66 (0.45-0.98) 10 15 Death due to causes other than the events above 0.92 (0.74-1.14) 37 40 Global Index 1.15 (1.03-1.28) 170 151 Deep vein thrombosis Not included in global index 2.07 (1.49-2.87) 26 13 Vertebral fractures 0.66 (0.44-0.98) 9 15 Other osteoporotic fractures 0.77 (0.69-0.86) 131 170 For those outcomes included in the WHI "global index", the absolute excess risks per 10,000 women-years in the group treated with CE/MPA were 7 more CHD events, 8 more strokes, 8 more PEs, and 8 more invasive breast cancers, while absolute risk reductions per 10,000 women-years were 6 fewer colorectal cancers and 5 fewer hip fractures. The absolute excess risk of events included in the "global index" was 19 per 10,000 women-years. There was no difference between the groups in terms of all-cause mortality. (See WARNINGS , WARNINGS , and PRECAUTIONS .) The estrogen-alone substudy was stopped early because an increased risk of stroke was observed. Results of the estrogen-alone substudy, which included 10,739 women (average age of 63 years, range 50 to 79; 75.3 percent white, 15 percent black, 6.1 percent Hispanic), after an average follow-up of 6.8 years are presented in Table 7. Table 7. RELATIVE AND ABSOLUTE RISK SEEN IN THE ESTROGEN-ALONE SUBSTUDY OF WHI Event Not included in global index Relative Risk CE vs. Placebo at 6.8 Years (95% CI) CE n = 5,310 Placebo n = 5,429 Absolute Risk per 10,000 Women-years CHD events 0.91 (0.75-1.12) 49 54 Non-fatal MI 0.89 (0.70-1.12) 37 41 CHD death 0.94 (0.65-1.36) 15 16 Invasive breast cancer 0.77 (0.59-1.01) 26 33 Stroke 1.39 (1.1-1.77) 44 32 Pulmonary embolism 1.34 (0.87-2.06) 13 10 Colorectal cancer 1.08 (0.75-1.55) 17 16 Hip fracture 0.61 (0.41-0.91) 11 17 Death due to causes other than the events above 1.08 (0.88-1.32) 53 50 Global index 1.01 (0.91-1.12) 192 190 Deep vein thrombosis 1.47 (1.04-2.08) 21 15 Vertebral fractures 0.62 (0.42-0.93) 11 17 Total fractures 0.7 (0.63-0.79) 139 195 For those outcomes included in the WHI "global index" that reached statistical significance, the absolute excess risk per 10,000 women-years in the group treated with CE 0.625 mg alone was 12 more strokes, while the absolute risk reduction per 10,000 women-years was 6 fewer hip fractures. The absolute excess risk of events included in the "global index" was a nonsignificant 2 events per 10,000 women-years. There was no difference between the groups in terms of all-cause mortality. (See BOXED WARNINGS , WARNINGS , and PRECAUTIONS .) Women's Health Initiative Memory Study The estrogen plus progestin Women's Health Initiative Memory Study (WHIMS), a substudy of WHI, enrolled 4,532 predominantly healthy postmenopausal women 65 years of age and older (47 percent were age 65 to 69 years, 35 percent were 70 to 74 years, and 18 percent were 75 years of age and older) to evaluate the effects of conjugated estrogens (CE 0.625 mg) plus medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA 2.5 mg) on the incidence of probable dementia (primary outcome) compared with placebo. After an average follow-up of 4 years, 40 women in the estrogen/progestin group (45 per 10,000 women-years) and 21 in the placebo group (22 per 10,000 women-years) were diagnosed with probable dementia. The relative risk of probable dementia in the hormone therapy group was 2.05 (95% CI, 1.21 to 3.48) compared to placebo. Differences between groups became apparent in the first year of treatment. It is unknown whether these findings apply to younger postmenopausal women. (See BOXED WARNINGS , WARNINGS , Dementia , and PRECAUTIONS , Geriatric Use ). The estrogen-alone WHIMS substudy enrolled 2,947 predominantly healthy postmenopausal women 65 years of age and older (45 percent were age 65 to 69 years, 36 percent were 70 to 74 years, and 19 percent were 75 years of age and older) to evaluate the effects of CE.625 mg on the incidence of probable dementia (primary outcome) compared with placebo. After an average follow-up of 5.2 years, 28 women in the estrogen alone group (37 per 10,000 women-years) and 19 in the placebo group (25 per 10,000 women-years) were diagnosed with probable dementia. The relative risk of probable dementia in the estrogen alone group was 1.49 (95% CI, 0.83 to 2.66) compared to placebo. It is unknown whether these findings apply to younger postmenopausal women. (See BOXED WARNINGS , WARNINGS , Dementia and PRECAUTIONS , Geriatric Use .) Figure 3 Figure 4