Changes to Vulva, Vestibule, Urethral Meatus and Vagina 20 Weeks Post Daily Prasterone in Women With Dyspareunia

This is an open label study to be conducted at a single research center, San Diego Sexual Medicine. Subjects meeting inclusion and exclusion criteria will receive 6.5 mg prasterone vaginal inserts daily for twenty weeks. After the informed consent is signed, a baseline physical examination and vulvoscopy with detailed photography of the vulva, vestibule, urethral meatus and vagina will be performed. Physical examination and vulvoscopy with detailed photography of the vulva, vestibule, urethral meatus and vagina will be repeated prospectively every 4 weeks for a total of 20 weeks. Therefore, physical examination and vulvoscopy with detailed photography of the vulva, vestibule, urethral meatus and vagina will be performed prospectively at baseline (vulvoscopy session 1), 4 weeks (vulvoscopy session 2), 8 weeks (vulvoscopy session 3), 12 weeks (vulvoscopy session 4), 16 weeks (vulvoscopy session 5) and 20 weeks (vulvoscopy session 6) following daily administration of 6.5 mg prasterone. In addition, pain diaries will be dispensed at each visit and collected at the following visit, with questions regarding pain during sexual activity.

Inclusion criteria

• provides written informed consent and HIPAA authorization before any study procedures are conducted;
• has a body mass index (BMI) < 37 kg/m2
• is menopausal either naturally (at least 12 months amenorrheic) or 6 weeks after a bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy prior to natural menopause; subjects with hysterectomy only must have a serum FSH > 40 mIU/mL;
• has vulvovaginal atrophy with moderate to severe dyspareunia;
• has at least one score ≥ 2 on cotton-tipped swab test
• agrees to comply with the study procedures and visits.

Exclusion criteria

• has a hypersensitivity to DHEA;
• has used prasterone in the past 6 months;
• has documented or suspected breast cancer;
• has undiagnosed genital bleeding:
• has clinically significant findings on physical examination;
• has uncontrolled hypertension;
• has any chronic medical condition or psychologic disorder that the Principal Investigator feels makes her ineligible for the study;
• is currently on local or systemic androgen therapy including local or systemic testosterone (washout 14 days for local or topical androgen or non-depot injection, 1 month for depot, 6 months for pellet;
• is currently on local or systemic estrogen therapy or androgen therapy (washout 14 days for vaginal estrogen, 60 days for oral/transdermal therapy);
• is currently using a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) or products that have estrogenic or anti-estrogenic effects within last month;
• has a history of substance abuse within 12 months prior, or consuming > 14 alcoholic drinks per week;
• has received an investigational drug within 30 days prior to signing consent;
• has any condition or exhibits behavior that indicates to the Principal Investigator that the Subject is unlikely to be compliant with study procedures and visits.