Estetrol (medication)

Estetrol (E4) is an estrogen medication and naturally occurring steroid hormone which is used in combination with a progestin in combined birth control pills and is under development for various other indications. These investigational uses include menopausal hormone therapy to treat symptoms such as vaginal atrophy, hot flashes, and bone loss and the treatment of breast cancer and prostate cancer. It is taken by mouth.

Estetrol
Clinical data
Trade namesWith drospirenone: Estelle, Nextstellis
Other namesOestetrol; E4; 15α-Hydroxyestriol; Estra-1,3,5(10)-triene-3,15α,16α,17β-tetrol
Pregnancy
category
  • AU: B3
Routes of
administration
By mouth
Drug classEstrogen
ATC code
  • None
Pharmacokinetic data
BioavailabilityHigh
Protein bindingModerately to albumin, not to SHBGTooltip sex hormone-binding globulin
MetabolismMinimal, conjugation (glucuronidation, sulfation)
MetabolitesEstetrol glucuronide
Estetrol sulfate
Elimination half-lifeMean: 28 hours
Range: 18–60 hours
ExcretionUrine: 79.7% (as conjugates)
Identifiers
  • (8R,9S,13S,14S,15R,16R,17R)-13-methyl-6,7,8,9,11,12,14,15,16,17-decahydrocyclopenta[a]phenanthrene-3,15,16,17-tetrol
CAS Number
PubChem CID
DrugBank
ChemSpider
UNII
KEGG
ChEBI
ChEMBL
PDB ligand
Chemical and physical data
FormulaC18H24O4
Molar mass304.386 g·mol−1
3D model (JSmol)
Solubility in water1.38
SMILES
  • C[C@]12CC[C@H]3[C@H]([C@@H]1[C@H]([C@H]([C@@H]2O)O)O)CCC4=C3C=CC(=C4)O
  • InChI=1S/C18H24O4/c1-18-7-6-12-11-5-3-10(19)8-9(11)2-4-13(12)14(18)15(20)16(21)17(18)22/h3,5,8,12-17,19-22H,2,4,6-7H2,1H3/t12-,13-,14-,15-,16-,17+,18+/m1/s1 Y
  • Key:AJIPIJNNOJSSQC-NYLIRDPKSA-N Y
  (verify)

Estetrol is a naturally occurring and bioidentical estrogen, or an agonist of the estrogen receptor, the biological target of estrogens like endogenous estradiol. Due to its estrogenic activity, estetrol has antigonadotropic effects and can inhibit fertility and suppress sex hormone production and levels in both women and men. Estetrol differs in various ways both from other natural estrogens like estradiol and synthetic estrogens like ethinylestradiol, with implications for tolerability and safety. For instance, it appears to have minimal estrogenic effects in the breasts and liver. Estetrol interacts with nuclear ERα in a manner identical to that of the other estrogens and distinct from that observed with Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators (SERMs).

Estetrol was first discovered in 1965, and basic research continued up until 1984. It started to be studied again as well as investigated for potential medical use in 2001, and by 2008, was of major interest for possible medical use. As of 2021, estetrol is in mid- to late-stage clinical development for a variety of indications.

Estrogen dosages for menopausal hormone therapy
Route/formEstrogenLowStandardHigh
OralEstradiol0.5–1 mg/day1–2 mg/day2–4 mg/day
Estradiol valerate0.5–1 mg/day1–2 mg/day2–4 mg/day
Estradiol acetate0.45–0.9 mg/day0.9–1.8 mg/day1.8–3.6 mg/day
Conjugated estrogens0.3–0.45 mg/day0.625 mg/day0.9–1.25 mg/day
Esterified estrogens0.3–0.45 mg/day0.625 mg/day0.9–1.25 mg/day
Estropipate0.75 mg/day1.5 mg/day3 mg/day
Estriol1–2 mg/day2–4 mg/day4–8 mg/day
Ethinylestradiola2.5–10 μg/day5–20 μg/day
Nasal sprayEstradiol150 μg/day300 μg/day600 μg/day
Transdermal patchEstradiol25 μg/dayb50 μg/dayb100 μg/dayb
Transdermal gelEstradiol0.5 mg/day1–1.5 mg/day2–3 mg/day
VaginalEstradiol25 μg/day
Estriol30 μg/day0.5 mg 2x/week0.5 mg/day
IMTooltip Intramuscular or SC injectionEstradiol valerate4 mg 1x/4 weeks
Estradiol cypionate1 mg 1x/3–4 weeks3 mg 1x/3–4 weeks5 mg 1x/3–4 weeks
Estradiol benzoate0.5 mg 1x/week1 mg 1x/week1.5 mg 1x/week
SC implantEstradiol25 mg 1x/6 months50 mg 1x/6 months100 mg 1x/6 months
Footnotes: a = No longer used or recommended, due to health concerns. b = As a single patch applied once or twice per week (worn for 3–4 days or 7 days), depending on the formulation. Note: Dosages are not necessarily equivalent. Sources: See template.
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