Testosterone undecanoate in the treatment of male hypogonadism.
BACKGROUND
Testosterone undecanoate (TU) represents an exciting new testosterone replacement therapy for hypogonadal men due to its convenient dosing schedule and favorable pharmacokinetic and safety profiles.


METHODS
Clinical, pharmacokinetic and safety characteristics of TU will be reviewed. The characteristics of currently approved testosterone therapies will be reviewed and compared with those of TU in order to determine which therapy most appropriately meets the clinical objective of properly matching a patient with a therapy that is best able to deliver physiological levels of testosterone for prolonged periods of time, while at the same time being safe, effective, inexpensive, simple to use, and with few side effects.


RESULTS
TU represents the first long-acting injectable with an excellent safety profile that can be administered only four times annually to produce stable levels of testosterone. Long-term studies have validated the clinical efficacy of TU in maintaining therapeutic levels of testosterone. Patient preference for the convenient dosing schedule might also lead to better compliance and therapeutic benefit. No serious side effects have been noted with the use of TU, including long-term data on patients treated with TU over 8 years.


CONCLUSIONS
TU is both a desirable and safe option for the treatment of hypogonadal men. Patients will benefit from the stable testosterone levels and fewer required injections, while achieving the desired benefits of androgen replacement.
Edelstein
Daniel
D
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Baltimore, MD, USA. edelstein@jhu.edu
Basaria
Shehzad
S
D000728:Androgens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy; D006801:Humans; D007006:Hypogonadism / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D013739:Testosterone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000728:Androgens; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D013739:Testosterone; C010792:testosterone undecanoate