Advice
Product overview
Drug action
The active tablets in nomegestrol/estradiol (Zoely) contain 2.5 mg nomegestrol acetate, a highly selective progestogen that is similar to human progesterone and has no oestrogenic, androgenic, glucocorticoid or mineralocorticoid activity, and 1.5 mg 17β‑estradiol (as hemihydrate), a synthetically produced oestrogen that is chemically identical to human 17β‑estradiol.
Licensed therapeutic indication
Nomegestrol/estradiol (Zoely) is a combined oral contraceptive that received a marketing authorisation for oral contraception in July 2011. It was not marketed in the UK until May 2013.
Course and cost
One tablet is taken daily for 28 consecutive days. Each pack starts with 24 white active tablets, followed by 4 yellow inactive tablets. A subsequent pack is started immediately after finishing the previous pack, with no break in taking a daily tablet and irrespective of the presence or absence of withdrawal bleeding. Withdrawal bleeding usually starts on day 2−3 after taking the last active tablet and may not have finished before the next pack is started.
A 3‑month pack of Zoely costs £16.50 excluding VAT, which is equivalent to £5.50 per cycle (MIMS, November 2013).