Degarelix 240/80 mg: a new treatment option for patients with advanced prostate cancer.
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.
Boccon-Gibod
Laurent
L
Hôpital Bichat, 46 Rue Henri Huchard, Paris 75018, France. laurent.boccon-gibod@bch.aphp.fr
Iversen
Peter
P
Persson
Bo-Eric
BE
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017326:Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic; D017277:Drug Approval; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000819:agonists / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D006801:Humans; D016729:Leuprolide / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*
D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D009842:Oligopeptides; C431566:acetyl-2-naphthylalanyl-3-chlorophenylalanyl-1-oxohexadecyl-seryl-4-aminophenylalanyl(hydroorotyl)-4-aminophenylalanyl(carbamoyl)-leucyl-ILys-prolyl-alaninamide; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D016729:Leuprolide