Actress Holly Robinson Peete takes part in OAB campaign

Actress Holly Robinson Peete has partnered with Sumitomo Pharma America (SMPA) to renew the Time To Go campaign for another year, seeking to highlight the impact of overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms and provide education on treatment options, announced SMPA in a news release.¹

Holly Robinson Peete

Peete is a patient with OAB and is now working to shed light on the condition and raise awareness of treatment options such as vibegron (Gemtesa) through collaborations with SMPA.

"For years, OAB symptoms kept me from fully enjoying the things I love. Talking to my girlfriends about my symptoms helped me realize I wasn't alone, and that seeking help isn't a sign of weakness, rather it's a step towards taking control," said Holly Robinson Peete in the news release.¹ "They gave me the confidence to talk to my doctor, who prescribed Gemtesa—and now, a year later, the treatment has helped manage my OAB symptoms so I can enjoy activities with less running to the bathroom. That's why I'm thrilled to continue my partnership with SMPA to educate and empower others to address their OAB."

This is the second year of the Time To Go campaign, which began launching new episodes in November 2023. The campaign features real stories from patient ambassadors with the hopes of encouraging others living with symptoms to talk to their physician. All patients included in the campaign—identified as part of Gemtesa’s Go-Getters program—have received a diagnosis of OAB and have been prescribed vibegron by a health care professional.

"Holly is an influential advocate and voice within the OAB community who is helping break the stigma associated with the condition, and we're excited to continue this important work with her," said Walt Johnston, Senior Vice President and Urology Franchise Head of SMPA. "With the addition of our Gemtesa Go-Getters program, our new ambassadors will join Holly in our mission to create a platform that helps those living with this frustrating condition to feel heard and supported. There is no shame in speaking up about OAB, talking to your doctor, and asking for the help you deserve."

You can learn more about the Time To Go campaign here.

Data on vibegron

Vibegron received FDA approval in December 2020 for the treatment of adult patients with OAB who are experiencing symptoms of urge urinary incontinence (UUI), urgency, and urinary frequency.²

The approval was supported by data from the phase 3 EMPOWUR trial (NCT03492281),³ which demonstrated significant reductions in micturitions, urgency episodes, and urge incontinence among patients who received 75 mg vibegron compared with patients who received tolterodine or placebo. Specifically, at 12 weeks, vibegron showed a mean change from baseline in the average daily number of micturitions of -1.8 compared with -1.3 for placebo and -1.6 for tolterodine (P < .001). The mean change from baseline in UUI episodes was -2.0, -1.4, and -1.8, respectively.

Treatment with vibegron also led to a statistically significant improvement in the key secondary outcome measures of number of urgency episodes, volume per micturition, and proportion of incontinent patients with at least a 75% reduction in urge incontinence episodes (P < .01 for all).

In total, the EMPOWUR trial included 1518 adult patients with OAB who were assigned in a 5:5:4 ratio to vibegron (75 mg once daily), placebo, or tolterodine.

Regarding safety, adverse events led to treatment discontinuation in 1.7%, 1.1%, and 3.3%, of the vibegron, placebo, and tolterodine arms, respectively. The incidence of hypertension was 1.7% for both vibegron and placebo.

Reference

1. Sumitomo Pharma America and actress Holly Robinson Peete extend time to go campaign to empower people with overactive bladder. News release. November 21, 2023. Accessed November 30, 2023. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sumitomo-pharma-america-and-actress-holly-robinson-peete-extend-time-to-go-campaign-to-empower-people-with-overactive-bladder-301994619.html

2. Urovant Sciences announces U.S. FDA approval of GEMTESA (vibegron) 75 mg tablets for the treatment of patients with overactive bladder (OAB). Published online December 23, 2020. Accessed December 1, 2023. https://www.us.sumitomo-pharma.com/newsroom/press-releases/Urovant-Sciences-Announces-US-Commercial-Launch-of-GEMTESA-vibegron-75mg-Tablets-for-Patients-with-Overactive-Bladder

3. Staskin D, Frankel J, Varano S, et al. International phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo and active controlled study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of vibegron in patients with symptoms of overactive bladder: EMPOWUR. J Urol. 2020;204(2):316-324. doi:10.1097/JU.0000000000000807