Is a 6 month injection of a drug like Lupron as good as a 3 month injection?

The active ingredient in Lupron (also called Lucrin) is leuprolide acetate, and it is most often given as a 3 month depot injection for ADT. In North America, however, one can also get a 6 month depot injection of this drug sold under the name Eligard.

Meanwhile the company that first helped bring leuprolide acetate to market, more than 30 years ago, Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd in Osaka, is exploring its own version of a 6 month leuprolide acetate depot injection. Their formulation is currently called TAP-144-SR. In terms of testosterone suppression and side effects, Takeda’s 6 month versions works just as well as their 3 month version.

 

Suzuki K, Namiki M, Fujimoto T, et al. Efficacy and safety of leuprorelin acetate 6-month depot in prostate cancer patients: a Phase III, randomized, open-label, parallel-group, comparative study in Japan. Jpn J Clin Oncol 2015; 45:1168-74. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26486824