Liver safety parameters of ulipristal acetate for the treatment of uterine fibroids: a comprehensive review of the clinical development program.

INTRODUCTION: Uterine fibroids are benign tumors within the uterine wall affecting women. Ulipristal acetate 5 mg was first authorized in the European Union on 23 February 2012, with a post-marketing exposure estimated to be more than 765,000 patients so far. During the post-marketing experience, sporadic cases of liver injury and hepatic failure were reported. A detailed review of the clinical trials carried out in the development of ulipristal acetate 5 mg was undertaken to further assess the liver safety data reported during the clinical trials.

AREAS COVERED: A detailed review of clinical data from Phase I to Phase III of patients exposed to ulipristal acetate at any investigated dose levels and for any treatment duration was conducted and the liver function test values are presented. In addition, a literature review on drug-induced liver injury is provided.

EXPERT OPINION: The experts present an evaluation of the liver safety findings observed during the clinical development and their views on the role of these findings in predicting the occurrence of drug-induced liver injury, the benefits of the treatment, the safety and the implications to the current clinical practice.