ESTROGEN, DESIGNER

An engineered drug that possesses some, but not all, of the actions of estrogen. Designer estrogens are selective estrogen-receptor modulators (SERMs). For example, raloxifene (trade name Evista) is classified as a SERM because it prevents bone loss (like estrogen) and lowers serum cholesterol (like estrogen) but (unlike estrogen) does not stimulate the endometrial lining of the uterus.