Degarelix 240/80 mg: a new treatment option for patients with advanced prostate cancer

Expert Rev Anticancer Ther. 2009 Dec;9(12):1737-43. doi: 10.1586/era.09.150.

Abstract

Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptor blockers (antagonists) are the latest addition to the hormonal therapy armamentarium for patients with prostate cancer. In contrast to the GnRH agonists, GnRH blockers have an immediate onset of action and do not cause an initial surge in testosterone levels that can lead to clinical flare in patients with advanced disease. Degarelix (Firmagon is a new GnRH blocker that has recently been approved by the EMEA and US FDA for the treatment of men with hormone-sensitive advanced prostate cancer. In this article, we briefly review the Phase III trial data for degarelix 240/80 mg (licensed dose) versus leuprolide 7.5 mg that led to these recent approvals.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / adverse effects
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / pharmacology
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / therapeutic use*
  • Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic
  • Drug Approval
  • Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / agonists
  • Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Humans
  • Leuprolide / adverse effects
  • Leuprolide / pharmacology
  • Leuprolide / therapeutic use
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Oligopeptides / adverse effects
  • Oligopeptides / pharmacology
  • Oligopeptides / therapeutic use*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / drug therapy*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal
  • Oligopeptides
  • acetyl-2-naphthylalanyl-3-chlorophenylalanyl-1-oxohexadecyl-seryl-4-aminophenylalanyl(hydroorotyl)-4-aminophenylalanyl(carbamoyl)-leucyl-ILys-prolyl-alaninamide
  • Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone
  • Leuprolide