SCH 900479

SCH 900479 is an investigational oral small molecule compound developed by Schering-Plough (which merged with Merck & Co. in 2009) for the treatment of menopausal symptoms. It was evaluated in early-phase clinical pharmacology studies involving healthy postmenopausal women, with assessments of single and multiple ascending oral doses for safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics. The study design—including exploratory endocrine and uterine safety biomarkers and an active comparator arm using oral estradiol with a Provera (medroxyprogesterone acetate) challenge—strongly suggests that SCH 900479 targets the estrogen receptor, likely functioning as a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) or estrogen receptor agonist/antagonist. No brand name or regulatory approval has been identified for this compound, indicating it remained a research-stage molecule. It does not appear to have progressed beyond early clinical development.