the embodiments disclosed herein are only examples of the many possible advantageous uses and implementations of the innovative teachings presented herein . in general , statements made in the specification of the present application do not necessarily limit any of the various claimed embodiments . moreover , some statements may apply to some inventive features but not to others . a vaginal ring ( also known as an intravaginal ring ) is a polymeric drug delivery device providing controlled release of drug ( s ) to the vagina and uterine cavity over an extended period of time . a therapeutically effective amount of an antifibrinolytic or hemostatic agent is defined as the amount of a drug that results in a significant ( preferably , at least 15 %) change in menstrual blood loss when compared to the pre - treatment levels . certain disclosed embodiments provide intravaginal delivery of a therapeutically effective amount of an antifibrinolytic or hemostatic agent for the reduction of menstrual blood loss and improvement in related symptoms . this antifibrinolytic or hemostatic agent can be administered to females suffering from excessive menstrual blood loss from the onset of menstrual bleeding until the resolution of related symptoms and / or the end of the menstrual period . in the method disclosed herein , the antifibrinolytic or hemostatic agent can be delivered using any intravaginal delivery device known in the art . non - limiting examples of useful delivery devices include a vaginal ring , a vaginal tablet , a pessary , an ovule , a suppository , a vaginal sponge , a diaphragm , a pad , a tampon , foam , cream , ointment , and gel . in a preferred embodiment , the drug delivery device is a vaginal ring . in one embodiment , the agent can be mixed throughout the vaginal ring . in one embodiment , the agent can be distributed uniformly throughout the vaginal ring . in another embodiment , the agent can be encapsulated in a part of the vaginal ring . in yet another embodiment , the agent can be located at the center of the vaginal ring . in one embodiment , a membrane of the agent can be placed between an un - medicated core and a metering layer of appropriate material . the use of a vaginal drug delivery device delivering the agent directly to the affected tissues is expected to enhance the agent &# 39 ; s efficacy in the reduction of the volume of menstrual blood loss and improvement in the related symptoms and a woman &# 39 ; s quality of life ; it may also result in a shorter duration of menstrual bleeding . the use of vaginal drug delivery device delivering the agent directly to the affected tissues is also expected to significantly reduce the agent &# 39 ; s daily dose when compared to other routes of drug administration ; this may result in a lower systemic drug circulation , possibly below detectable levels , and a lower incidence of drug - related adverse events . in all embodiments , the agent is from a class of drugs called antifibrinolytic agents or hemostatic agents . non - limiting examples of useful agents include , e . g ., tranexamic acid , ε - amino - caproic acid , aprotinin , antipan , gabexate mesilate , pepstatin , leupeptin , chymostatin , and metabolites thereof . daily agent doses useful in the drug delivery method disclosed herein do not exceed 1 g . in a preferred embodiment , daily agent doses useful in the drug delivery method disclosed herein range from 50 mcg to 500 mg . in one preferred embodiment , the agent is tranexamic acid with a daily drug delivery dose ranging from 100 mg to 250 mg . in another preferred embodiment , the agent is ε - amino - caproic acid with a daily drug delivery dose ranging from 350 mg to 500 mg . in yet another preferred embodiment , the agent is aprotinin with a daily drug delivery dose ranging from 250 mg to 400 mg . in certain embodiments , the disclosed method is used to treat females with menstrual bleeding of less than 80 ml per menstrual cycle . in certain embodiments , the disclosed method is used to treat females with menstrual bleeding of more than 80 ml per menstrual cycle . in certain embodiments , the disclosed method is used to treat females clinically diagnosed with menorrhagia . in certain embodiments , the disclosed method is used to treat females clinically diagnosed with idiopathic menorrhagia . in certain embodiments , the disclosed method is used to treat females clinically diagnosed with cyclic heavy menstrual bleeding . in certain embodiments , the disclosed method is used to treat females clinically diagnosed with dysfunctional uterine bleeding . in certain embodiments , the disclosed method is used to treat females with no clinical diagnosis related to menorrhagia , idiopathic menorrhagia , cyclic heavy menstrual bleeding , or dysfunctional uterine bleeding , but who perceive their menstrual periods to be heavy . in certain embodiments , the disclosed method is used to treat females clinically diagnosed with anemia . the present invention is also described and demonstrated by way of the following non - limiting examples . however , the use of these and other examples anywhere in the specification is illustrative only and in no way limits the scope and meaning of the invention or of any exemplified term . likewise , the invention is not limited to any particular preferred embodiments described here . indeed , many modifications and variations of the invention may be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading this specification , and such variations can be made without departing from the invention in spirit or in scope . the various disclosed embodiments are therefore to be limited only by the terms of the appended claims along with the full scope of equivalents to which those claims are entitled . the vaginal ring serving as a drug delivery device comprises a supporting ring free of active drug . the next ( second ) layer contains medication selected for treatment of excessive menstrual blood loss ( tranexamic acid or another antifibrinolytic or hemostatic agent ). this layer is coated with the third , drug - free layer . detailed description of such vaginal ring and suitable manufacturing methods can be found in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 822 , 616 . per u . s . pat . no . 4 , 822 , 616 , the supporting ring is made from a physiologically acceptable synthetic resin , such as , e . g ., polyethylene , rtv silicone elastomers , ltv silicone elastomers , polyamides and polytetrafluoroethylene . the second layer with active medication comprises a pharmaceutically acceptable resin from which the drug is released . a preferred embodiment consists of the combination of drug and ltv silicone elastomer with a composition also described in the patent . any ltv silicone elastomer is used in the third layer . the proposed vaginal ring ensures release of the active drug within the limits of the dosage required for the desired reduction of menstrual blood loss . in one embodiment , the second layer is medicated with tranexamic acid in an amount adequate to release the drug in a rate of 100 - 250 mg / day . in another embodiment , the second layer is medicated with ε - amino - caproic acid in an amount adequate to release the drug in a rate of 350 - 500 mg / day . in yet another embodiment , the second layer is medicated with aprotinin acid in an amount adequate to release the drug in a rate of 250 - 400 mg / day . the vaginal ring serving as a drug delivery device comprises an active drug selected for treatment of excessive menstrual blood loss ( tranexamic acid or another antifibrinolytic or hemostatic agent ) and a delivery module . the delivery module comprises ( a ) a reservoir for storing the active drug , ( b ) a rate controller or wall that is formed of styrene - butadiene copolymer that maintains the prescribed rate of drug release throughout the life of system , ( c ) an energy source or the concentration of the active drug in the reservoir that provides the driving means for transferring the active drug from a higher amount in the reservoir to the rate controller , ( d ) an inner mass transfer conductor for housing the active drug in the reservoir , and ( e ) a portal that provides the exit from the drug delivery module to the tissues . a detailed description of such vaginal ring and its manufacturing process can be found , for example , in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 250 , 611 . in one embodiment , the delivery module of the vaginal ring contains tranexamic acid in an amount supporting the drug release at a rate of 100 - 250 mg / day . in another embodiment , the delivery module of the vaginal ring contains ε - amino - caproic acid in an amount supporting the drug release at a rate of 350 - 500 mg / day . in yet another embodiment , the delivery module of the vaginal ring contains aprotinin in an amount supporting the drug release at a rate of 250 - 400 mg / day . the vaginal ring serving as a drug delivery device is a ring - shaped solid carrier made of silicone rubber ( polysiloxane ) or other suitable material . the ring has a homogenous design with an active drug dispersed in the carrier . detailed description of such vaginal ring can be found , for example , in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 869 , 081 . per u . s . pat . no . 5 , 869 , 081 , the vaginal ring provides sustained release of the medication and results in low circulatory levels of the drug , while concentrating its biological effect on a regional level . in one embodiment , the carrier contains tranexamic acid in an amount supporting the drug release at a rate of 100 - 250 mg / day . in another embodiment , the carrier contains ε - amino - caproic acid in an amount supporting the drug release at a rate of 350 - 500 mg / day . in yet another embodiment , the carrier contains aprotinin in an amount supporting the drug release at a rate of 250 - 400 mg / day . the present invention is not to be limited in scope by the specific embodiments described herein . indeed , various modifications of the invention in addition to those described herein will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description . such modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims . all patents , applications , publications , test methods , literature , and other materials cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety as if physically present in this specification . 1 heavy menstrual bleeding : assessing impact , evaluating management options ; supplement to obg management , october 2009 ; accessed at http :// www . obgmanagement . com / pdf / supplobg heavybleeding . pdf ( reference on file ) 2 barbara s , apgar et al . treatment of menorrhagia . american family physician — volume 75 , issue 12 ( june 2007 ). 4 joseph y . lee , et al . treatment of menorrhagia with tranexamic acid . j soc obstet gynaecol can 2000 ; 22 ( 10 ): 794 - 8 . 5 national collaborating centre for women &# 39 ; s and children &# 39 ; s health . heavy menstrual bleeding , london ( uk ): royal college of obstetricians and gynaecologists 2007 jan . 7 6 center for drug evaluation and research . lysteda ® medical review ; accessed at http :// www . accessdata . fda . gov / drugsatfda docs / nda / 2009 / 022430s000medr . pdf ( reference on file ) 8 dunn c j , goa k l . tranexamic acid : a review of its use in surgery and other indications . drugs . 1999 ; 57 : 1005 - 32 . 9 jabalameli m ., zakeri k . evaluation of topical tranexamic acid on intraoperative bleeding in endoscopic sinus surgery iran j med sci december 2006 ; vol 31 no 4 221 10 boethius j . “ method and hemostatic patch for effecting local hemostasis ”, u . s . pat . no . 7 , 022 , 125 , issued on apr . 4 , 2006 . 11 de bonnis m . et al . topical use of tranexamic acid in coronary artery bypass operations : a double - blind , prospective , randomized , placebo - controlled study . j thorac cardiovasc surg . 2000 march ; 119 ( 3 ): 575 - 80 12 fawzy h , et al . can local application of tranexamic acid reduce post - coronary bypass surgery blood loss ? a randomized controlled trial . j cardiothorac surg . 2009 jun . 18 ; 4 : 25 13 vlessides m . topical tranexamic acid cuts bleeding after knee surgery . clinical anesteology . february 2010 | volume : 36 : 2 14 randall c . u . k . national health service . surgical management of the primary care dental patient on warfarin . march 2007 . accessed at http :// www . dundee . ac . uk / tuith / static / info / warfarin . pdf ( reference on file ) 15 sindet - pedersen s . distribution of tranexamic acid to plasma and saliva after oral administration and mouth rinsing : a pharmacokinetic study . j clin pharmacol 1987 ; 27 : 1005 - 8 . 16 gleeson nc et al . the effect of tranexamic acid on measured menstrual loss and endometrial fibrinolytic enzymes in dysfunctional uterine bleeding . acta obstetricia et gynecologica scandinavica 1994 73 : 3 , 274 - 277 17 dockeray c j . et al . the fibrinolytic enzyme system in normal menstruation and excessive uterine bleeding and the effect of tranexamic acid . eur j obstet gynecol reprod biol . 1987 april ; 24 ( 4 ): 309 - 18 18 rybo g . plasminogen activators in endometrium . acta obstet gynecol scand . 1966 ; 45 : 411 - 449 19 hefnawi a s . et al . fibrinolytic activity of menstrual blood in normal and menorrhagic women and in women wearing the lippes loop and cu - t ( 200 ). int j gynaecol obstet 1979 ; 16 : 400 - 407 . 20 hahn l . et al . blood coagulation , fibrinolysis and plasma protein in women with normal and with excessive menstrual blood loss . br j obstet gynaecol 1976 ; 83 : 974 - 980 . 21 cole s k . clarkson a r . menstrual blood loss and fibrin degradation products . br med j 1972 ; 1 : 78 - 79 . 22 rees m c p et al . coagulation factors and fibrinolytic proteins in menstrual fluid collected from normal and menorrhagic women . br j obstet gynaecol 1985 ; 92 : 1164 - 1168 . 23 basu h k . fibrin degradation products in sera of women with normal menstruation and menorrhagia . br med j 1970 ; 1 : 74 - 75 . 24 kingsberg s a ., et al . treating dyspareunia caused by vaginal atrophy : a review of treatment options using vaginal estrogen therapy . international journal of women &# 39 ; s health . august 2009 , volume 2009 : 1 pages 105 - 111 25 ballagh s a . vaginal ring hormone delivery systems in contraception and menopause . clinical obstetrics and gynecology / volume 44 / number 1 / march 2001 26 iyer v ., et al . vaginal drug delivery . expresspharma , 1 - 15 jul . 2008 27 lgarashi m . novel vaginal danazol ring therapy for pelvic endometriosis , in particular deeply infiltrating endometriosis . hum reprod . 1998 july ; 13 ( 7 ): 1952 - 6 . 28 ficicioglu c . et al . high local endometrial effect of vaginal progesterone gel . gynecological endocrinology , volume 18 , issue 5 may 2004 , pages 240 - 243 . 29 kuhl h . pharmacology of estrogens and progestogens : influence of different routes of administration . climacteric 2005 ; 8 ( suppl 1 ) 3 - 63 . 30 center for drug evaluation and research . application number 21 - 225 . mirena ® nda medical review ; accessed at mirena ® nda medical review ; accessed at http :// www . accessdata . fda . qov / druqsatfda docs / nda / 2000 / 21 - 225 . pdf mirena medr . pdf ( reference on file )
a method and drug delivery device for reducing menstrual blood loss in a female are provided . the method comprises administering intravaginally to the female a therapeutically effective amount of an active agent on a delivery device directly to uterine cavity during a menstrual period , wherein the active agent is any one of an antifibrinolytic agent and a hemostatic agent .