Mirabegron for the treatment of overactive bladder

Overactive bladder (OAB) syndrome is defined as urinary urgency, usually accompanied by frequency and nocturia, with or without urge urinary incontinence, in the absence of urinary tract infection or other obvious pathology. Mirabegron (YM-178, Betanis®) is a novel, once-daily, orally active, first-in-class selective β(3)-adrenoceptor agonist that improves symptoms associated with OAB by enhancing storage function and relaxing the urinary bladder. Mirabegron has been approved in Japan for the indication of urgency, urinary frequency and urge urinary incontinence associated with OAB, and was recently submitted for approval to U.S. and European authorities for the same indication. In phase III clinical trials performed in Europe, the U.S. and Australia, mirabegron at doses of 50 or 100 mg for 12 weeks significantly decreased the mean number of incontinence episodes and micturition episodes per 24 hours, and was safe and well tolerated. Mirabegron may be an alternative in patients with OAB who are poor responders to antimuscarinic agents or intolerant of their adverse effects.