Our Story

The story of CleopatraRX™ and PearlPAK® was born out of thoughtful consideration to empower women to take control of their brain health during menopause.

CleopatraRX™ came to life through the leadership of Rhonda R. Voskuhl, M.D., Professor of Neurology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Meet the Founder

Rhonda Voskuhl, M.D.

A neuroscientist at the University of California (UCLA) and faculty neurologist at the UCLA Comprehensive Menopause Program, Dr. Voskuhl considers cognitive issues in the aging population the greatest challenge of our generation. She has been recognized internationally for leading the field in addressing brain health issues related to menopause.

A Smart Approach to Menopause Hormone Therapy

During her years of research on cognitive decline and brain atrophy in women with multiple sclerosis, Dr. Voskuhl discovered that treatment with a novel estrogen could induce cognitive improvement and prevent atrophy of regions of the brain involved in cognition. She is the inventor on numerous UCLA patents in the U.S. and Europe, licensed by CleopatraRX™, for her treatment to improve cognition in neurodegenerative conditions.

Estrogen normally protects the hippocampus region of the brain – the area of the brain responsible for memory and information processing. At the onset of menopause, estrogen sharply declines throughout the body with loss of stimulation of estrogen receptors that preserve brain health. This loss of estrogen can cause brain fog, hot flashes, night sweats, and mood swings. Brain fog affects verbal memory and information processing speed. PearlPAK® is a unique solution. PearlPAK® uses a different estrogen than what is in standard Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) to reduce hot flashes, where estradiol is the estrogen used.

The estrogen in PearlPAK® is estriol, and it binds differently to estrogen receptors as compared to estradiol. By binding to an estrogen receptor in the brain, estriol offers brain protection. Estriol is considered a safe form of estrogen. While estradiol binds strongly to the estrogen receptor expressed in the breast, estriol binds weakly to the estrogen receptor in breast. Indeed, estriol has been safely used by menopausal women throughout Europe and Asia for over four decades to reduce hot flashes. Timing is important. Neurologists know that one must begin treatment early during mild cognitive impairment to prevent further cognitive deficits. Our goal is to offer treatment at the onset of perimenopause, with the hope of preventing cognitive decline and brain atrophy -before it happens.

THE STORY OF CLEOPATRA

What’s in a name:
CleopatraRX and PearlPAK?

Cleopatra, the Pharaoh of Egypt, was highly praised for her intelligence in science, philosophy, math, and debate. Fluent in nine languages, she broke boundaries as a female leader, even learning Egyptian to communicate with her armies.

As the story goes, Cleopatra bet Mark Antony that she could host the most expensive dinner ever served in the land. Initially, Mark was pleased. While the dinner appeared lavish, it was not enough to win the bet. Then, through Cleopatra’s knowledge of science, she knew that vinegar in wine would dissolve a pearl. So she removed her large pearl earing, placed it in her wine, and drank it, making this dinner indeed the most expensive ever served. Clever.

Meet the CleopatraRX™ Team