New low-dose oral contraceptive YAZ launched in Europe

Bayer Schering PharmaZs YAZ will be available across Europe as of September 2008.

YAZ is the first oral contraceptive containing 3 mg of the unique progestin drospirenone combined with 0.02 mg of ethinyl estradiol in a new dosing regimen of 24 days of active hormone tablets followed by 4 days of hormone-free tablets.

With this new regimen, a new pill pack is started immediately on the day after the last hormone-free tablet was taken. In the US, where YAZ has been available since 2006, it is the fastest growing branded oral contraceptive in the US.

"Taking active pills for three additional days can result in a reduction of hormonal fluctuations which often occur with conventional 21/7 pills," said Phil Smits, Head of Women's Healthcare at Bayer Schering Pharma AG. "Women who usually experience hormone withdrawal symptoms such as headaches or cramps during the pill-free week should benefit from the unique features of drospirenone delivered in the innovative YAZ regimen."

YAZ will be available in Germany, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Slovakia, the Alpine countries and Scandinavia as from beginning of September 2008 closely followed by Portugal, Finland, Ukraine, Baltics and others. More European countries will launch YAZ by the end of the year or first and second quarters of 2009.