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A first ever daily pill to treat endometriosis has been approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence for use on the NHS in England.

The treatment, known as relugolix combination therapy or Ryeqo, will be available for women who have undergone failed medical or surgical treatment for endometriosis.

The pill, which will cost £72 for a 28-day supply, works by blocking specific hormones that contribute to endometriosis while providing hormone replacement in a single daily tablet.

NICE initially rejected the drug but approved it after its manufacturer Gedeon Richter produced evidence on its effectiveness and value for money.

Endometriosis affects about 1.5 million women in the UK and causes chronic pain and fatigue when tissue similar to the womb lining grows elsewhere in the body. NICE said it normally takes nine years to diagnose the condition after symptoms first appear.

Insisting 1,000 women a year with endometriosis could benefit from the new treatment, NICE said it works quicker than injectable alternatives and can be taken at home instead of in clinics.

NICE also said it “combines all needed hormones in one pill and returns hormone levels to normal faster when stopped”.

NICE’s director of medicines evaluation Helen Knight said: “The treatment can be stopped and started more easily, which is particularly important for those planning to have children and for managing side-effects.”

Endometriosis UK welcomed the approval of Ryeqo but cautioned “it may be suitable for only a small proportion of the 1.5 million with the disease”.

The charity also said it was “keen to see more investment in research to find the cause of the disease, better management and treatment options and, one day, a cure”.