Dydrogesterone

Dydrogesterone (6-dehydro-retroprogesterone) is a retroprogesterone derived from progesterone that is similar in structure and pharmacology to endogenous progesterone

• acts as a selective progesterone receptor agonist and has better oral bioavailability compared with oral micronized progesterone (1)
  • has high oral bioavailability (approximately 28%) and high specificity for progesterone receptors, leading to efficacy at doses that are 10- to 20-fold lower than for oral micronised progesterone (2)
    
    
• has been on the market since the 1960s and is used as postmenopausal hormone-replacement as well as for treatment of menstrual disorders and endometriosis
  
  
• has been shown to relieve symptoms of endometriosis, regress lesions, and improve pregnancy rates in patients with infertility (1)
  
  
• with respect to use in combined hormone replacement therapy (HRT), evidence shows that the endometrial safety of 2 mg E2 sequentially combined with 10 mg dydrogesterone is very good as determined by the histologic response of the endometrium (3)

Reference:

1. Peng C, Huang Y, Zhou Y. Dydrogesterone in the treatment of endometriosis: evidence mapping and meta-analysis. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2021 Jul;304(1):231-252.
2. Griesinger G et al. Dydrogesterone: pharmacological profile and mechanism of action as luteal phase support in assisted reproduction. Reprod Biomed Online. 2019 Feb;38(2):249-259
3. Ferenczy A, Gelfand MM. Endometrial histology and bleeding patterns in post-menopausal women taking sequential, combined estradiol and dydrogesterone. Maturitas. 1997 Apr;26(3):219-26.ay